Systems and methods for aerodynamic deployment of wing structures

Abstract

A method of deploying an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes launching a UAV and deploying at least one portion of a wing assembly from a stowed configuration to a deployed configuration in which the at least one portion of the wing assembly extends away from a body of the UAV. Deploying the portion of the wing assembly, which may be an outboard portion of a wing assembly, includes deflecting an aerodynamic control surface on the at least one portion of the wing assembly to cause an aerodynamic force to move the portion of the wing assembly into the deployed configuration without assistance from a spring or motor. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a UAV having a body and a plurality of wing assemblies carried by the body, at least a portion of a wing assembly is deployable using aerodynamic forces and without assistance form a spring or motor.

1 . An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system comprising a UAV, wherein the UAV comprises a body and a plurality of wing assemblies carried by the body and rotatable relative to the body about an axis, each wing assembly of the plurality of wing assemblies being configurable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration and comprising an inboard portion and an outboard portion rotatably connected to the inboard portion, and wherein, for each wing assembly:
 the inboard portion is rotatable relative to the body about the axis between the stowed configuration in which the inboard portion, the outboard portion, and the body are in an overlapping arrangement, and the deployed configuration in which the inboard portion extends along a direction away from the body; and   the outboard portion is rotatable relative to the inboard portion between the stowed configuration and the deployed configuration, in which the outboard portion extends away from the inboard portion, wherein the inboard portion and the outboard portion form a lifting surface configured to provide aerodynamic lift for the UAV, wherein
 the outboard portion comprises an aerodynamic control surface positioned on the outboard portion and configured to deflect toward the inboard portion to cause an aerodynamic force to rotate the outboard portion between the stowed configuration and the deployed configuration. 
   
     
     
         2 . The UAV system of  claim 1 , wherein a joint connecting the outboard portion to the inboard portion does not include a spring or a motor positioned to assist the outboard portion with rotation from the stowed configuration to the deployed configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The UAV system of  claim 1 , wherein the UAV further comprises an opening mechanism configured to cause the inboard portion to rotate from the stowed configuration to the deployed configuration, wherein the opening mechanism comprises a spring or a motor. 
     
     
         4 . The UAV system of  claim 1 , wherein the UAV further comprises at least one rear aerodynamic surface carried by the body, wherein the at least one rear aerodynamic surface is rotatably mounted to the body with a spring-biased joint, and wherein the stowed configuration comprises the inboard portion, the outboard portion, the at least one rear aerodynamic surface, and the body being positioned in an overlapping arrangement. 
     
     
         5 . The UAV system of  claim 1 , wherein the wing assembly further comprises a latch positioned to hold the outboard portion in the deployed configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The UAV system of  claim 1 , further comprising a propulsion system carried by the UAV and configured to produce thrust for horizontal flight of the UAV, wherein the propulsion system comprises a puller rotor. 
     
     
         7 . The UAV system of  claim 1 , further comprising a propulsion system carried by the UAV and configured to produce thrust for horizontal flight of the UAV, wherein the propulsion system comprises a pusher rotor. 
     
     
         8 . The UAV system of  claim 1 , further comprising a launch tube, wherein the launch tube is configured to receive the UAV with the at least one wing assembly in the stowed configuration, and wherein the launch tube is configured to launch the UAV. 
     
     
         9 . The UAV system of  claim 1  wherein the aerodynamic control surface is an aileron. 
     
     
         10 . A method of deploying an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:
 launching a UAV;   rotating an inboard portion of a wing assembly relative to a body of the UAV from a first position in which the inboard portion of the wing assembly at least partially overlaps the body, to a second configuration different from the first configuration; and   rotating an outboard portion of the wing assembly relative to the inboard portion from a first orientation in which the outboard portion is folded toward the inboard portion, to a second orientation in which the outboard portion extends from the inboard portion to form a lifting surface configured to provide aerodynamic lift for the UAV;   wherein rotating the outboard portion relative to the inboard portion comprises using aerodynamic force upon an aerodynamic control surface to cause rotation of the outboard portion.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising deploying rear aerodynamic surfaces from a tail of the body. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising preventing, with the wing assembly, deployment of the rear aerodynamic surfaces until the wing assembly is out of a deployment pathway of the rear aerodynamic surfaces. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein rotating the outboard portion comprises rotating the outboard portion with a joint between the outboard portion and the inboard portion, the joint being operable without assistance of a spring or a motor. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein rotating the inboard portion comprises rotating the inboard portion with force from one or more springs. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein using aerodynamic force upon an aerodynamic control surface comprises deflecting an aileron of the wing assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising, after deflecting the aileron, deflecting the aileron again to provide aerodynamic control for the UAV when the UAV is in a fully deployed configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising releasably locking the outboard portion relative to the inboard portion using a latching device. 
     
     
         18 . A method of deploying an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:
 launching a UAV; and   deploying at least one portion of a wing assembly from a stowed configuration to a deployed configuration in which the at least one portion of the wing assembly extends away from a body of the UAV and is configured to provide lift for horizontal flight;
 wherein deploying the at least one portion of the wing assembly comprises deflecting an aerodynamic control surface on the at least one portion of the wing assembly to cause an aerodynamic force to move the at least one portion of the wing assembly into the deployed configuration. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the aerodynamic force moves the at least one portion of the wing assembly into the deployed configuration without assistance from a spring or a motor. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the at least one portion of the wing assembly is an outboard portion of the wing assembly, the method further comprising deploying an inboard portion of the wing assembly, wherein deploying the inboard portion of the wing assembly comprises rotating the inboard portion of the wing assembly away from the body of the UAV using a spring element or a motor, and wherein the inboard portion of the wing assembly carries the outboard portion of the wing assembly.