Launch and recovery system for unmanned aerial vehicles

Abstract

A method of launching and retrieving a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) ( 10 ). The preferred method of launch involves carrying the UAV ( 10 ) up to altitude using a parasail ( 8 ) similar to that used to carry tourists aloft. The UAV is dropped and picks up enough airspeed in the dive to perform a pull-up into level controlled flight. The preferred method of recovery is for the UAV to fly into and latch onto the parasail tow line ( 4 ) or cables hanging off the tow line and then be winched back down to the boat ( 2 ).

1 . An aircraft and an aircraft recovery system designed to recover said aircraft,
 said aircraft recovery system having
 an arrestment line with a contact portion intended to contact said aircraft and 
 a support above said contact portion, said support supporting said contact portion of said line, 
 said aircraft including a line capturing and retaining device located off centerline of said aircraft, 
 the recovery system being designed to raise the aircraft and the contact portion of the arrestment line together relative to said support. 
   
     
     
         2 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the arrestment line is trained over a pulley supported by the support. 
     
     
         3 . A method of recovering an aircraft with a recovery system, said aircraft recovery system having an arrestment line and a support having a first point of contact with said arrestment line at an upper part of said arrestment line,
 said aircraft including a line capturing and retaining device located off centerline of said aircraft,   the method comprising flying said aircraft into said arrestment line to cause the capturing and retaining device to capture and retain the arrestment line, and thereafter raising said captured aircraft and said arrestment line relative to said first point of contact.   
     
     
         4 . An aircraft system, comprising:a line capture assembly carried by an unmanned aircraft having a fuselage and a lifting surface, the line capture assembly including—a flexible support line having a first portion attached to an attachment point on the fuselage and a second portion extending from the attachment point spanwise along the lifting surface of the aircraft; and an engagement device coupled to the second portion of the support line and releasably secured to the lifting surface. 
     
     
         5 . The aircraft system of  claim 1  wherein the engagement device comprises at least one of a hook and a cleat with a corresponding latch. 
     
     
         6 . An aircraft system, comprising: an unmanned aircraft having a fuselage and a pair of wings extending from the fuselage; and a line capture assembly carried by the aircraft and positioned to releasably secure the aircraft to a flexible recovery line when the aircraft intercepts the recovery line, the line capture assembly including—one or more flexible support lines coupled to an anchor point on the fuselage and extending across at least a portion of the fuselage and spanwise along the corresponding wing to an outboard edge of the wing, wherein the one or more support lines extend spanwise along the wing at least proximate to a leading edge of the corresponding wing; and one or more capture devices coupled to the corresponding one or more support lines, the one or more capture devices being releasably secured to the wing and positioned to receive the recovery line and at least temporarily secure the line capture assembly to the recovery line. 
     
     
         7 . An aircraft system, comprising: an unmanned aircraft having a fuselage and a lifting surface extending from the fuselage; and a line capture assembly carried by the aircraft and positioned to releasably secure the aircraft to a flexible recovery line when the aircraft intercepts the recovery line, wherein the line capture assembly includes—a flexible support line coupled to the aircraft at an anchor point generally along a longitudinal axis of the aircraft and forward of a center of gravity of the aircraft, wherein the support line extends from the anchor point spanwise along at least a portion of the lifting surface; and a capture device coupled to a distal portion of the support line, wherein the capture device is releasably secured to the lifting surface. 
     
     
         8 . A method for capturing an unmanned aircraft in flight, the method comprising: flying an unmanned aircraft to intercept a flexible recovery line, the unmanned aircraft having a lifting surface and a line capture assembly receiving the recovery line at an engagement device of the line capture assembly, wherein the engagement device is attached to a flexible support line carried by the aircraft and coupled to an attachment point on the fuselage; and releasably securing the recovery line to the line capture assembly by (a) at least temporarily arresting the recovery line with the engagement device, and (b) suspending the aircraft from the support line after at least temporarily arresting the recovery line. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein suspending the aircraft from the support line comprises suspending the aircraft from an attachment point positioned at a point on the fuselage between a center of gravity of the aircraft and a nose of the aircraft.