Patent ID: 12227319

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly toFIG.1, a schematic view of a launcher for multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is shown and is referenced generally by numeral10. Launcher10can be adapted for use with a variety of configurations of UAVs. For example and as will be explained further below, launcher10can be used for the launching of winged UAVs such as those having a fuselage, a pair of wings extending outward from the fuselage, and stabilizers extending outward from the fuselage and positioned aft of the wings.

In general, launcher10includes a hopper20that holds a stack100of UAVs102, a retainer30for keeping UAVs102in hopper20until such time that one of the UAVs is to be released from hopper20, and a movable carriage40for transporting one UAV102a(released from hopper20) along a ramp50in order to launch the released UAV102afrom carriage40. In the illustrated example, ramp50is disposed at an acute angle of inclination a relative to a surface200on which launcher10is deployed. For example, surface200may be a ground surface, the surface of a man-made structure, a surface onboard a moving or movable vehicle/vessel, etc. In general, ramp50is set to provide a desired angle-of-attack for the particular UAV102athat is to be launched. In some embodiments, the angle-of-attack provided by ramp50is set relative to the sky's horizon. Ramp50is aligned with carriage40and serves to guide the carriage as it moves along ramp50as will be described further below.

Hopper20includes an open end22aligned gravitationally beneath the lowermost UAV102from the stack100of UAVs102and over carriage40in its pre-launch position illustrated inFIG.1. That is, prior to launch, carriage40is disposed gravitationally beneath retainer30so that the released UAV102ais able to fall under the force of gravity and come to rest on carriage40. Hopper20may be configured in a variety of ways to utilize the force of gravity (e.g., as a vertical structure, a structure disposed at a non-vertical angle, a curved structure, etc.) to allow a lowermost one of UAVs102in the stack100to fall through open end22(to become released UAV102a) as controlled by retainer30. In some embodiments, spacers (not shown) may be used between UAVs102in the stack100where such spacers are designed to yield or fall away as the lowermost one of UAVs102is released by retainer30. A top surface42of carriage40on which the released UAV102arests may be cushioned or may have a cushion disposed on it in order to protect the released UAV102aas it falls through the hopper's open end22and onto carriage40. In some embodiments, carriage40may be configured to position/cradle the released UAV102ainto a desired pre-launch and launch position. In some embodiments, additional positioners (not shown) may be provided to assist in the proper positioning of the released UAV102aon carriage40.

Referring additionally and simultaneously toFIGS.2and3, launcher10is illustrated inFIG.2as it would be configured when the released UAV102ais launched from carriage40, and is illustrated inFIG.3as it would be configured post-launch when carriage40has returned to its pre-launch position where it is poised to receive the next released UAV102b. Beginning at the pre-launch position of carriage40with its supported released UAV102abeneath retainer30as shown inFIG.1, a motive force is applied to carriage40to move carriage40along a first direction60as guided by ramp50. Carriage40along with its supported UAV102ais moved along ramp50in first direction60until carriage40reaches a terminus on ramp50as illustrated inFIG.2. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, movement of carriage40along first direction60terminates at or near the end of ramp50. At this point, UAV102alaunches from carriage40using its self-contained propulsion system (not shown) such that UAV102acommences its flight as indicated by arrow104a. Following the launch of UAV102a, carriage40is moved from its terminus on ramp50(i.e., at the position shown inFIG.2) along ramp50in a second direction62(i.e., opposite first direction60) until carriage40reaches its pre-launch position beneath retainer30as illustrated inFIG.3. Once carriage40is again positioned beneath retainer30, retainer30is operated to release the next UAV102bfrom the stack100through open end22of hopper20. In some embodiments, a sensor70may be provided to detect the return of carriage40to its pre-launch position as illustrated inFIG.3. In such cases, the output of sensor70may be provided to retainer30to control the retainer's operation to thereby automatically release the next UAV102b.

As mentioned above, the UAVs launched by the above-described launcher may be UAVs having wings and stabilizers. For such applications, the above-described carriage40may be outfitted with arms that engage the wings of the UAV as the UAV is moved along ramp50for a launch, but then are movable to avoid damaging the aft-mounted stabilizers as the UAV launches from the carriage. In an exemplary embodiment illustrated inFIG.4, a stack of winged UAVs110is disposed in hopper20. Each winged UAV110has a fuselage112, a pair of wings114(only one is visible inFIG.4), and a pair of stabilizers116(only one is visible inFIG.4). Such winged UAVs110are well-known in the art. One winged UAV110areleased by retainer30from hopper20is disposed on carriage40. When positioned on carriage40, a first gap80is defined between the top surface42of carriage40and each of wings114aand a second gap82is defined between the top surface42of carriage40and each of stabilizers116a. Gaps80and82may be the same or different without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Coupled to carriage40is arm44configured to span gap80so that arm44engages an aft region of wing114aas carriage40begins to move along first direction60towards the carriage's terminus on ramp50(illustrated inFIG.2). Although not visible, it is to be understood that a second arm (i.e., identical to arm44) is provided on the other side of carriage40for engagement of the other wing (i.e., identical to wing114a) on the other side of fuselage112a. In the illustrated embodiment, each arm44is coupled to carriage40by a corresponding hinge46configured to position arm44such that it spans gap80in a pre-launch and launch position where it will engage wing114aas carriage40moves in first direction60. Arm44is biased to this pre-launch and launch position by a spring48coupled to arm44and hinge46. It is to be understood that the combination of arm44, hinge46, and spring48may be configured in a variety of ways without departing from the scope of the present invention. As carriage40is moved along first direction60, each of arms44engages an aft region of their respective wing114aas carriage40moves up ramp50.

Referring additionally now toFIG.5where carriage40has reached its terminus on ramp50, UAV110ais illustrated as it is being launched from carriage40to commence its flight104aunder its own power. As each stabilizer116aengages a respective arm44, its hinge46supports rotation of arm44(as indicated by rotation arrow45) in a direction initially aligned with first direction60as arm44rotates down towards carriage40until arm44is positioned in gap82thereby allowing stabilizer116ato pass there over as UAV110abegins its flight104a. Once each stabilizer116aclears its respective arm44, each arm's corresponding hinge46and spring48support movement of the arm back to its pre-launch and launch position illustrated inFIG.4.

Referring now toFIG.6, an end view of a launcher's hopper20is illustrated with an embodiment of a retainer30coupled thereto. Carriage40with its above-described arms44, hinge46, and spring48is also illustrated beneath retainer30. In the illustrated example, retainer30includes two rotatable hubs32disposed on opposing sides of hopper20at its open end22. Hubs32may be coupled to hopper20by brackets34. Each hub32has a set of spokes36extending radially out from their respective hub32. Each spoke36is long enough to span at least a portion of the hopper's open end22to thereby support/retain the lowermost UAV102in the stack100. In one embodiment, the spokes of each hub are in a common plane and mesh with the spokes of the other hub, as illustrated inFIG.6. In the illustrated example, each hub has three spokes36spaced apart from one another by an angle of 120°. When it is time to release the lowermost UAV102from vertical stack100onto carriage40, hubs32are rotated towards one another in opposing directions as indicated by rotation arrows38. A rotation38of less than one revolution (e.g., 120° in the illustrated example) will allow the lowermost UAV102to be released through open end22while retaining the remainder of UAVs102in the vertical stack100. Rotation38may be controlled by motors (not shown) actuated automatically when carriage40is positioned post-launch beneath retainer30as described previously herein.

The motive force used to move the above-described carriage40along ramp50as described herein may be supplied in a variety of ways. For example, in one exemplary embodiment illustrated inFIG.7, a launcher300includes a base310disposed on a ground surface200. A hopper320holding a stack100of UAVs102is coupled to base310, for example, by one or more brackets312. Hopper320includes an open end322aligned under the stack100of UAVs102. A retainer330disposed at open end322serves to retain UAVs102in their stack100and release the lowermost UAV102for deposition onto a carriage340as described previously herein. A ramp350is hingedly coupled to base310at, for example, hinge points360such that the ramp's angle of inclination a relative to ground surface200may be set for a particular launch application. A belt drive370is coupled to base310and ramp350to provide the motive force needed to move carriage340up ramp350during a UAV launch and then back down ramp350to return carriage340to its pre-launch position as described previously herein. Briefly, belt drive370includes a drive wheel372coupled to base310, a drive wheel374coupled to ramp350, and an endless belt376engaging drive wheels372and374. Carriage340is coupled to belt376by the connection indicated by numeral378. By way of an example, drive wheel374may be powered/driven to move carriage340up ramp350during a launch and drive wheel372may be powered/driven to move carriage340down ramp350following a launch. It is to be understood that the particular configuration of belt drive370and its relationship to base310and ramp350can be other than shown without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The advantages of the present invention are numerous. UAVs may be launched in a successive and repeatable fashion to ensure success at the outset of each UAV's mission. The launcher may be configured to operate with a variety of types of UAVs to include winged UAVs having rear stabilizers.

Although the invention has been described relative to specific embodiments thereof, there are numerous variations and modifications that will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: