Patent Publication Number: US-11027842-B1

Title: Apparatus and system for UAV release

Description:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The embodiments generally relate to releasing unmanned aerial vehicles. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an assembled overhead bay, according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 2A  is an isometric view of a partially disassembled overhead bay in an inverted orientation, with a bay cowling (cover) moved vertically for viewing purposes, according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 2B  is an isometric view of the overhead bay, depicted from underneath the bay, and showing bay doors open and internally rotated into the bay, according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a baseplate (including rectangular section, opposing ends, and lip with shelf) and mounting rails, according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 4  is a view from underneath the bay with the cover removed to show internal components, according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a hinge assembly, according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of a deployable UAV&#39;s frame and arms in a first (retained—arms folded) geometry, according to the embodiments. 
         FIG. 6B  is a perspective view of the deployable UAV&#39;s frame and arms in a second (flight—arms extended) geometry, according to the embodiments. 
         FIG. 7  is a partial side and partial section view of internal bay components and a rack and release mechanism, according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 8  is an exemplary operating environment, including a data link network and associated ground command and control stations, according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 9A  is a detail view showing a linear actuator and associated components depicted in  FIGS. 4 and 7 , according to the embodiments. 
         FIG. 9B  is a detail view of the linear actuator and a linear actuator arm, according to the embodiments. 
     
    
    
     It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not to be viewed as being restrictive of the embodiments, as claimed. Further advantages of the embodiments will be apparent after a review of the following detailed description of the disclosed embodiments, which are illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings and in the appended claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments may be understood more readily by reference in the following detailed description taking in connection with the accompanying figures and examples. It is understood that embodiments are not limited to the specific devices, methods, conditions or parameters described and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting of the claimed embodiments. Also, as used in the specification and appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural. 
     Embodiments generally relate to carrying payloads such as unmanned aerial systems (commonly abbreviated UAS), sometimes called unmanned aerial vehicles (commonly abbreviated UAV), herein. Embodiments attempt to use the acronym UAV throughout for clarity. Likewise, embodiments include radio frequency (RF) payloads mounted inverted with an RF transparent cover to maximize RF payload performance. This provides shielding between an air vehicle and its payloads, improved structural and vibrational rigidity, reduced weight, and easier access to payloads. 
     Current constructions use apertures, holes, or external antennas as part of the airframe or pods to allow adequate RF performance. The suggested approach supports RE performance, while reducing clutter for RE active and passive elements, provides for improved aerodynamic performance, reduced weight, and increased structural performance. 
     Embodiments provide an inverted cradle construction allowing payloads to be mounted overhead, thus hanging the payloads and allowing them to look down while in flight. This concept creates an optimization in reduced clutter for RF active and passive elements alike inside the bay, thus creating a stronger connection between the payloads and items of interest. Embodiments use currently accepted mounting rails for mounting overhead bays to airframes. A fiberglass bay cover is used instead of traditional carbon fiber and composites to allow for RF transparency into and out of the bay. The outside form factor of the bay (in reference to mounting to the fuselage) is identical to the bay, thus no additional modifications to the outer mold line or mating faces are needed. 
     Embodiments mount hardware via a base plate directly to airframe attachment points, mounting payloads to the base plate, and then attaching an RF transparent cover. The bay cover may or may not include vents to cool payloads. The inverted cradle construction allows payloads to be mounted overhead, hanging the payloads and allowing them to look down during flight. Embodiments are referred to as a payload system, which allows a physically smaller UAV to be released, sometimes referred to as ejected, from a physically larger UAV, with minimal degradation to flight performance. This improves delivery to the area of responsibility (AOR), and reduces some manual activities such as, for example, manual transportation, launching, and operation, including remote operation. 
     Small Group 1 UAV(s) (twenty pounds or less) are limited in their mission scope with respect to the mission duration and operating ranges, causing the effective operating areas to be nearby the operator&#39;s location. Furthermore, these UAV(s) are often manually transported taking up valuable space, and launched into their respective area of operations. With a severely limited service life due to battery power limitations, much of their power is spent achieving safe standoff from the operators. Embodiments provide a bolt-on payload system that enables larger UAV(s) to deliver Group 1 UAV(s) beyond existing ranges currently used while enabling this data to be distributed across a data-linked network. 
     Current payload designs for larger UAV(s) inhibit the release of any significantly-sized items due to solid construction of the bay skin. This requires permanent cutouts of the outer skin. The permanent cutout negatively affects flight performance of the airframe over any operationally representative flight durations. Through intermittent opening and closing, the embodiments&#39; doors provide a valid way of safely controlling and jettisoning large items away from the airframe during flight conditions without significantly reduced effects on airframe performance. Additionally, the bay&#39;s ejection control encompasses electrically controlling the small UAV while retained in the bay, jettisoning the item, and controlling the item post ejection (throughout the entire flight of the UAV during its mission). The UAV is controlled post ejection via an electronic control stack including a data link radio card, micro-controller, and a single board computer. Lastly, the datalink relay housed within the bay provides the ability for forward positioned operators to take control of the released UAV during its mission, or subscribe to its payload feed from the ground. 
     Apparatus and System Embodiments 
     Although the embodiments are described in considerable detail, including references to certain versions thereof, other versions are possible. Examples of other versions include performing alternate combinations and sequencing of the components to optimize performance based on specific operating environments. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of versions included herein. 
     In the accompanying drawings, like reference numbers indicate like elements. The embodiments illustrate a UAV release apparatus and system and associated components ( FIGS. 1 through 7, and 9A &amp; 9B ), as well as an exemplary operating environment ( FIG. 8 ). The system can also be referred to as a bomb bay UAV release system, and other variations. Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2A, 3 , &amp;  4 , embodiments include a baseplate  2 . The baseplate  2  is a structural composite material (such that the baseplate is rigid) or metallic material and has a rectangular body section  6  and two opposing end plates  8 A &amp; SB. The rectangular body section  6  has an upper surface  9  and a lower surface  4 . The “upper surface”  9  is referred to as such, based on viewing the inverted views shown in  FIGS. 2A, 3 , &amp;  4 . Consistency is, accordingly, maintained throughout. Additionally, the “upper surface”  9  can also be referred to as a “top flat portion” or “top flat surface” of the baseplate  2 . 
     Each of the two opposing end plates  8 A &amp; SB extends up from upper surface  9  at a different short end of rectangular body section  6  than the other of the two opposing end plates  8 A &amp; SB. In some embodiments, the base plate  2  is about forty inches in length, ten inches in width (w in  FIG. 4 ), and five inches in depth. The flat span of the belly (f in  FIGS. 2B &amp; 4 ) is about 4 inches long. In  FIG. 3 , the curved portion (p) of the opposing end plates  8 A &amp;  8 B is a curve defined by a circle having a 3.75-inch radius. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , embodiments include a plurality of mounting rails  12  disposed in the base plate  2  and removably-attached via screw holes  16  in lip  14  extending up from rectangular section  6 . The two opposing end plates SA &amp;  8 B bracket the plurality of mounting rails  12 . Lip  14  includes a recessed shelf  19  for mounting holes to a cover  18 . The recessed shelf  19  runs along the bay side of the base plate  2  as well as front/back allowing for a countersunk surface to attach/bolt the cover  18  to, as well as providing a seamless transition between the fuselage, structural member, and the cover. 
     The cover  18  is sometimes referred to by other names including an RF bay cover, RF-transparent bay cover, and bay cowling. The cover  18  configured to releasingly-attach to the baseplate  2 . The cover  18  has an exterior cross-sectional U-shape defined by the exterior cross-sectional shape of the two opposing end plates  8 A &amp;  8 B. 
     The base plate  2  is made of a structural composite to support the small UAV, in a center-of-gravity orientation. Electrical magnetic interference (EMI) shielding is incorporated. Overhead mounting is provided by rails attached to the baseplate  2  along the top of the bay  10  instead of a traditional flimsy bay lid, to provide a load bearing mounting surface. The front and back of the base plate  2  is extended down to replicate bay attachment points. With both ends being a structural member, the bay cover  18  carries no structural load, allowing the cover to be made of a lighter material. The base plate  2  enables modular clips to be used when mounting the bay to the airframe&#39;s fuselage. 
     The bay  10  is structurally configured around the ability to oppose axial bending and provide an adequate mounting surface for various payloads, while still retaining light weight construction characteristics. This is accomplished by one to two layers of simple carbon fiber prepreg, layered under a sandwich or foam core composite, layered under another one to two layers of prepreg. The RF cover  18  is constructed of either fiberglass or similar material that is characterized by similar RF performance. The lip  14  and recessed shelf  19  on the base plate  2  and sides is countersunk 0.030 inches to allow for a 0.030 inch cover  18  to be attached. This provides a flush seam on the outer mold line between the two joints. The cover  18  is held on by a number of 8-32 pan head #2 Drive machine screws. The bay  10  is attached to the airframe fuselage by modular clips. Additionally, attachment features  5 , are shown in  FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B , &amp;  3 . The attachment features  5  are extrusions, sometimes referred to as depressions or concave depressions, in the two opposing end plates  8 A &amp;  8 B and assist in attaching the bay  10  to the airframe. Thus, the attachment features  5  do not perforate through the two opposing end plates  8 A &amp; SB. 
     The overhead bay/UAV release system  10  can be referred to as a bomb bay UAV release system, that uses an integrated system of smaller, separate systems housed within a modified overhead-mounting payload bay, including a bomb bay door mechanism  11 , a rack and release system  70 , a small UAV  60 , and the control architecture for both the actuation, stores management, and the datalink (depicted on  FIG. 8 ). The bomb bay door mechanism  11  is sometimes referred to as a payload bay door mechanism, door mechanism, door system, and similar variations. “Overhead” is used to refer to the bay  10  due to a small UAV being dropped from the bay.  FIGS. 1 &amp; 2B  show the bay  10  and its associated components in the correct orientation for the term “overhead.”  FIGS. 2A &amp; 3  illustrate the bay and associated components in an inverted orientation. 
     The door mechanism  11  incorporates a set of actuating doors  11 A and  11 B into the pod that provides an opening  22  for objects to be ejected from the payload bay  10  in a larger UAV  82 . The doors  11 A and  11 B close after ejecting the smaller UAV  60 , to resume uninhibited flight. The doors  11 A and  1111  actuate by rotating internally inside the overhead bay  10 , which does not violate the airframe&#39;s standard outer mold line at any time during the door actuation, and does not cause the doors to be in the air stream. This reduces the amount of time the opening  22  is present because the opening is temporary and not permanent, thus providing no reduction in flight performance. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2A &amp; 2B , the opening  22 , is also referred to as an aperture and similar terms, is in the cover  18 . The door system  11  is actuated on either side of the opening  22  by a hinge assembly  50 . The lower surface  4 , which is substantially flat, of the base plate  2  interfaces with and is attached to the larger UAV  82  ( FIG. 8 ). The baseplate  2  includes bulkhead openings  3  for electrical connection of the bay  10  with the larger UAV  82 . Comparing  FIGS. 1 and 2A , one can see that the lower surface  4 , and the upper surface  9  of the base plate are diametrically opposed from one another. The upper surface  9 , is flat, sometimes referred to as flat portion surface, and is internal to the bay  10  and is the mounting surface for the hinge assembly  50  and rack and release system  70 . The upper surface/top flat portion/top flat surface  9  of the base plate and the rounded portion, sometimes referred to as a “belly” (f) portion, interface with the smaller UAV  60 . 
     An extra/optional battery  24  is shown in  FIG. 2A , for additional/optional power for either the smaller UAV  60  or bay components. Referring to  FIG. 2B , the cover  18 , which is substantially rounded and sometimes referred to as a belly, is in the airstream during flight. Note that the small UAV  60  is not shown in  FIG. 2B  for ease of viewing. 
       FIG. 5  depicts the hinge assembly  50 . The point of actuation shown in  FIG. 5  corresponds to the doors  11 A &amp;  11 B being about half-open. The hinge assembly  50  includes a stepper motor  51 , a lead screw  52 , sometimes referred to as a lead ball screw because it uses a ball follower  41  with screw hole for translation. The stepper motor  51  is contained in a form-fitted housing  49 . The form-fitted housing  49  is part of a pivot beating housing  56  and is also referred to as a hinge pin housing. The hinge assembly  50  includes a lead screw coupler  53 , a clevis  54  and a set of hinges  55 . The hinge assembly  50  has two hinges  55 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . The two hinges  55  have mirrored components on either side of the hinge assembly and correspond to the two doors  11 A &amp;  11 B. One hinge assembly  50  can be used, as shown in  FIG. 2B , or two hinge assemblies can be used, as shown in  FIG. 2A , depending on application-specific requirements. The stepper motor  51  controls both hinges  55  in the hinge assembly  50 . The hinge assembly  50  has a proximal end  59 A and a distal end  59 B. The pivot bearing housing/hinge pin housing  56  supports and assists attaching the proximal end  59 A of the hinge assembly  50  to the top flat surface  9  of the base plate  2 . Attachment brackets with screw holes  44  at the proximal end  59 A are used to attach the hinge assembly  50  to the top flat surface  9  of the base plate  2 . The distal end  59 B of the hinge assembly  50  is at the hinge  55 , which is attached to its corresponding door  11 A or  11 B. Suitable attachment examples include screws, bolts, and glue. 
     Limit switches  42  provide electrical feedback to the electronic control stack  83  for verification of door positioning. Each hinge assembly  50  has two limit switches  42  (one limit switch for each hinge  55 ). As the stepper motor  51  receives a signal and begins to rotate, the lead screw  52  that is coupled to the stepper motor&#39;s output shaft (sometimes referred to as a power output shaft) spins. The lead screw  52  has a proximal end (not shown) and a distal end (not shown). The lead screw coupler  53  is a connector between the proximal end of the lead screw  52  and the distal end of the stepper motor&#39;s  51  power output shaft&#39;s distal end. Threaded onto the lead screw  52  is the follower  41  that fastens a clevis  54  that as a result of the stepper motor  51  turning, moves linearly up or down depending on the direction of rotation. The follower  41  has a small screw hole for attaching to an alignment arm  43 , sometimes referred to as an arm. The follower  41  houses the threads and ball screws and rides within the lead screw  52  and fastens the clevis  54  to itself. 
     The clevis  54  is attached at either end to a hinge  55  via a sliding clevis pin  58 . The alignment arm  43 , which is part of the clevis  54 , extends horizontally and aligns the clevis horizontally and guides a guide rod (not shown for ease of viewing/clarity) into rod housings  45  &amp;  47 . The clevis  54  has an arm  43  extending horizontally to assist with alignment. As shown on  FIG. 5 , the hinge assembly  50  has two hinges  55 . With the hinge  55  fastened around its own fixed hinge pin  57 A as the clevis  54  moves vertically up and down, the sliding clevis pin  58  travels along a transition slot  57 B in the hinge, causing the hinge to move rotationally about its own fixed hinge pin. The fixed hinge pin  57 A is also referred to as a pivot bearing. The transition slot  57 B is also called a transition slot housing and similar terms. The connection and movement of the sliding clevis pin  58  in the transition slot  57 B is referred to as a pin-and-slot engagement. The doors  11 A &amp;  11 B are sometimes referred to as door skins and are fastened onto the hinge  55  so actuation occurs, the doors will open or close depending on the direction of the stepper motor&#39;s  51  actuation. 
     A first rod housing  45  houses and retains one end of the guide rod. The pivot bearing housing/hinge pin housing  56  has a second rod housing  47  that houses and retains the other end of the guide rod. The first rod housing  45  and the second rod housing  47  can be considered anti-rotation and alignment features. The guide rod spans vertically through the holes in the first rod housing  45  and the second rod housing  47 . The guide rod runs through a hole in the arm  43  of the clevis  54 . The guide rod keeps the follower  41  and clevis  54  from rotating when the lead screw  52  is turned. As the lead screw  52  is turned, both the follower  41  and the clevis  54  travel up and down linearly due to the guide rod. 
       FIGS. 6A &amp; 6B  illustrate partial views, shown with reference characters  61 A &amp;  61 B, of the UAV  60 . The partial views  61 A &amp;  61 B illustrate the retained and extended geometries, respectively, without the actual rotors and other components found on the UAV  60 , for ease of viewing. The UAV  60  is configured about its frame  62 . The UAV  60  is configured as a multi-rotor UAV incorporating release actuating arms  64 , allowing the UAV to be released from the opening  22 . Each arm  64  can be elongated by manually bending the arm about its own elbow (not shown for ease of view). The manual actuation portion of the arms  64  is not shown for ease of viewing. Each arm  64  is has a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end of the arm  64  is attached to the frame  62  by a hinge  66 . Rotor attachment points  63  are located at the distal end of the arms  64 . Individual rotors are not shown for ease of view. Once in flight, the arms  64  actuate for optimal aerodynamic geometry of the rotors. The arms  64  pivot about its hinge point  66  from a first position (retained position)  61 A, as shown in  FIG. 6A  to a second position (extended position)  61 B as shown in  FIG. 6B . The pivoting is in an arc slot  68 , which, as configured, provides for a limited motion, sometimes referred to as a lost motion, of the arms  64 . 
     The arms  64  fold inward towards the frame  62  center-lengthwise producing a long slender form-factor, the narrower geometry depicted in  FIG. 6A . The arms  64  include a linear bearing (not shown) positioned to fit within guide posts  73 . As the UAV  60  is being ejected from the bay  10 , and traveling along the guide posts  73 , the arms  64  remain in the retained position ( FIG. 6A ) until they clear the end of the posts, allowing the smaller UAV  60  to jettison away from the bay  10  with minimal interference to the control arms  64  and rotor attachment points  63  as well as the rotors. When the arms  64  are fully outside the bay  10 , the arms are free to release (see  FIG. 6B ) and are activated via a torsion spring (not shown) at the hinge point  66  into flight position (the extended geometry  61 B). 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the rack and release system  70  includes both retention hardware as well as an ability to eject the UAV  60  when requested. The rack and release system  70  is a locking device configured to retain the UAV  60  when the UAV is housed in the bay  10  and release the UAV through the opening  22 . Cross struts  72  are attached to attachment members (rigid structural members)  65  ( FIGS. 4 &amp; 7 ) spanning transversely across the upper surface/flat portion surface  9  of the baseplate  2  in the payload bay  10 . The cross struts  72  are configured as steel slotted rails to survive UAV takeoffs and landings. The cross struts  72  include guide posts  73  with springs  74  and non-spring-loaded posts  75 . The springs  74  are cylindrical compression springs wrapped around the outside of the guide posts  73 . The non-spring loaded posts  75  are sometimes referred to as guide rails. Each compression spring  74  is attached at one end to the cross strut corresponding to its respective guide post  73 , while the other end of the compression spring is unattached, allowing for the compression and decompression of the spring. The guide posts  73  are positioned at either longitudinal end of the opening  22 , and interface with the UAV  60 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4, 7, 9A , &amp;  9 B, a cover plate  76  is located at the middle of the opening  22  and covers a linear actuator  71 . The cover plate  76  holds the linear actuator  71  in place with screws or bolts that span from the cover plate, through outer edges of the linear actuator, and attaches to a mounting plate  67 , sometimes referred to as a linear actuator mounting plate. The linear actuator mounting plate  67  is secured to the upper surface/flat portion surface  9  of the base plate  2 . An electrical wire connector  78  is generically shown and used, if needed, for powering the linear actuator  71 . The electrical wire connector  78  is shown to indicate that the linear actuator  71  is powered and, as such, can have a different orientation than what is depicted such as, for example, by routing into the bay  10  through the upper surface/flat portion surface  9  or through the bulkhead openings  3 . Likewise, the concept can apply to enable the UAV  60  to receive power from the larger UAV  82 . 
     The linear actuator  71  is a servo motor that extends and retracts a linear actuator arm  79  such as, for example, using a lead screw having threads, which is shown in  FIG. 9A  but not explicitly referenced. As shown in  FIG. 9A , the linear actuator arm  79  has a first position rest/support  31  corresponding to its retracted position, and a second position rest/support  32  corresponding to its extended position, which is a locking position. The linear actuator arm  79  is shown in its extended position  32 . The figures show four guide posts  73  and four non-spring loaded posts  75 , although any number of each can be used. The UAV  60  has interface bearings (not shown) that, when the UAV is in its retained orientation, are positioned over all four of the guide posts  73  and non-spring loaded posts  75 , sometimes referred to as guide rails. The non-spring loaded posts  75  prevent the UAV  60  from rotating in the bay  10  when the UAV is retained. The guide posts  73  and non-spring loaded rails  75  are attached by bolts and nuts  77  to the cross struts  72 . Similarly, bolts and nuts attach the linear actuator  71  and cross struts  72  to the payload bay  10 . 
     As the UAV  60  is pressed down the length of the guide posts  73 , the compression springs  74  are compressed, and the UAV touches the upper surface/top flat portion/top flat surface  9  of the base plate  2  inside the bay  10  at the end of the compression springs&#39; travel. Once the UAV  60  is at the bottom, the linear actuator arm  79  translates longitudinally in the bay  10  by extending toward the guide posts  73  and non-spring loaded rails  75 . Guiding features  26  ( FIG. 2A ) are attached to the underside of the UAV  60  and guide the linear actuator arm  79  toward the guide posts  73  and non-spring loaded rails  75 , and perpendicular to the electrical wire connector  78 , as depicted in  FIG. 7 . Examples of the guiding features  26  include horseshoe hooks, sometimes referred to as U-hooks or latches attached to the underside of the UAV  60 , from which the linear actuator arm  79  passes through. 
     The force of the linear actuator arm  79  overcomes the force of the springs  74  on the guide posts  73  and retains the UAV  60  during typical flight operations. The linear actuator  71  locks and releases, causing the linear actuator arm  79  to move from its second  32  to first  31  positions, when instructed by an electrical signal from the electronic control stack  83  or the larger UAV  82  (see  FIG. 8 ). Upon actuation of the release system  70 , the linear actuators arm  79  is retracted and the latch is free causing the springs  74  to extend, pushing the UAV  60  upward along the guide posts  73 . The UAV slides on the guide rails  75  until the force of the compression springs  74  jettison the UAV out of the bay  10 . When released, the UAV  60  extends its spring-loaded arms  64  and the UAV is in flight. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , an exemplary operating system environment is depicted by reference character  80 . The system  80  includes a smaller UAV  60  and a larger UAV  82 . The smaller UAV  60  can be referred to as a first UAV and the larger UAV  82  can be referred to as a second UAV. The smaller UAV  60  is physically smaller than the larger UAV  82 . The system  80  shows the larger UAV  82  having an electronic control stack  83  inside the payload bay  10 . The electronic control stack  83 , a networking datalink (sometimes called a data link network)  84 , and associated ground Command and Control features, are physically located inside the payload bay  10 . The electronic control stack  83  has a mother board that houses and interfaces with electrical components and hardware. 
     The electronic control stack  83  interfaces with the larger UAV  82  and its associated computer, micro-controller, and input power sources. Two datalink cards  85  &amp;  87  are physically located with the airframe of the larger UAV  82  for a downlink datalink radio and uplink datalink radio, respectively. The larger UAV&#39;s  82  computer is configured with stores management features, including a graphics user interface (GUI), network translation, power conditioning, status monitoring, feedback monitoring, and enables follow-on capability via future software upgrades. 
     Reference character  95  is used to show wireless communication links, which can also be referred to as a wireless datalink. Components linked by the wireless datalinks  95  are configured with transmitters and receivers to send and receive instructions and images and video. The smaller UAV  60  has a high-power wireless communication module  81  that communicates with the larger UAV&#39;s  82  high-power wireless communication module  86 . The smaller UAV  60  has its own dedicated ground control station (GCS)  88 . Similarly, the larger UAV  82  has a GCS  90 , sometimes referred to as a ground station. The smaller UAV&#39;s dedicated GCS  88  has a manual controller  89 , a small GCS computer  91 , such as a laptop computer, and a networking datalink system  92 . The smaller UAV GCS  88  is configured for mobility, such as in a vehicle, boat, or human operator on the ground. 
     The larger UAV GCS  90  has a GCS computer  93  and a tracking antenna station  94  for transmitting and receiving messages from the larger UAV  82 , The smaller UAV GCS  88  and the larger UAV GCS  90  can be co-located, such as a human operator in the same location as the larger UAV GCS  90 , or separated by a larger distance. As such, communication between the smaller UAV GCS  88  and the larger UAV GCS  90  is either wireless or hardwired, depicted by reference character  97 . 
     Components within the same physical structure or nearby physical structure can be linked together for powering and communication purposes. The particular linkage is shown as lines between components. For instance, the electronic control stack  83 , networking datalink  84 , and high-power wireless communication module  86  are linked together within the larger UAV&#39;s  82  bay  10 . The two datalink cards  85  &amp;  87  are not shown as being specifically linked, but functionally they are linked for power sharing purposes. Likewise, individual components in the smaller UAV GCS  88  are linked together. In similar fashion, the components in the larger UAV GCS  90  are linked together. Finally, due to its mobile nature, the smaller UAV GCS  88  can be linked together with the larger UAV GCS  90 , such as side-by-side in the same building or many miles away from each other. 
     The electronic control stack  83  translates network traffic within the electronic control stack  83  using encrypted wireless methods. The electronic control stack  83  is a relay station for command and control of the smaller UAV  60  after it is released from the larger UAV  82 . This allows forward positioned personnel to control the released UAV during its mission or subscribe to its payload feed from the ground. To view a feed, such as a video feed, the embodiments include a display screen(s) (not shown). The display screen(s) are associated with at least one or both of the smaller UAV GCS  88  or the larger UAV GCS  90 . The display screen(s) allow ground user(s) to perform additional visual verification, which is very helpful prior to dedicating additional resources to a location. Additionally, since network translation is performed onboard the bay&#39;s electronic control stack  83 , the ground user can seamlessly receive and send commands, view streamed video from the smaller UAV  60 , and network enable other ground users to receive the same. 
     While the embodiments have been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it has presumed in practice, the scope of the embodiments is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.