A constant tension tether management system for tethered aircraft includes a ground station for operatively coupling to an unmanned aerial vehicle. The ground station includes a spool rotatably disposed within the ground station and adapted to support a tether thereon. A first pulley is rotatably mounted within the ground station along a tether travel path. A second pulley is rotatably disposed within the ground station and moves in translation along the tether travel path. The first pulley is disposed along the tether travel path between the spool and the second pulley.
A system for landing an unmanned aerial vehicle has an unmanned aerial vehicle and a ground-based platform. A guide structure for receiving the unmanned aerial vehicle is mounted on the ground base platform. The guide structure has an inner diameter greater than a smallest outer diameter of the unmanned aerial vehicle landing gear and less than the largest outer diameter of the unmanned aerial vehicle landing gear.
A system for landing an unmanned aerial vehicle has an unmanned aerial vehicle and a ground-based platform. A guide structure for receiving the unmanned aerial vehicle is mounted on the ground base platform. The guide structure has an inner diameter greater than a smallest outer diameter of the unmanned aerial vehicle landing gear and less than the largest outer diameter of the unmanned aerial vehicle landing gear.
Wind speed and direction experienced by the UAV at altitude is determined by placing an accelerometer, gyroscope and compass on the UAV. A change in velocity experienced by the UAV is determined by the accelerometer. An orientation relative to a reference plane and an angular velocity experienced by the UAV is determined by the gyroscope. A magnetic bearing of the UAV is determined with the compass. A roll and pitch exhibited by the UAV is determined as a function of the change in velocity, orientation and change in angular velocity. Projected roll and projected pitch vectors onto a horizontal plane cutting through the center of rotation of the UAV are determined as a function of the roll and the pitch. The wind speed of the wind experienced by the UAV is determined as a function of the projected roll vector and projected pitch vector. The wind direction is determined as a function of the projected roll vector and projected pitch vector and the magnetic bearing of the UAV.
G01P 5/08 - Measuring speed of fluids, e.g. of air streamMeasuring speed of bodies relative to fluids, e.g. of ship, of aircraft by measuring variation of an electric variable directly affected by the flow, e.g. by using dynamo-electric effect
B64C 39/02 - Aircraft not otherwise provided for characterised by special use
B64D 45/00 - Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for
6.
CONSTANT TENSION TETHER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR TETHERED AIRCRAFT
A constant tension tether management system for tethered aircraft includes a ground station for operatively coupling to an unmanned aerial vehicle. The ground station includes a spool rotatably disposed within the ground station and adapted to support a tether thereon. A first pulley is rotatably mounted within the ground station along a tether travel path. A second pulley is rotatably disposed within the ground station and moves in translation along the tether travel path. The first pulley is disposed along the tether travel path between the spool and the second pulley.
B64F 3/00 - Ground installations specially adapted for captive aircraft
B64C 39/02 - Aircraft not otherwise provided for characterised by special use
B66D 1/50 - Control devices automatic for maintaining predetermined rope, cable, or chain tension, e.g. in ropes or cables for towing craft, in chains for anchorsWarping or mooring winch-cable tension control
7.
Tether orientation sensor for controlling the position of a tethered aircraft
An unmanned aerial vehicle has a substrate. A tether sensor is mounted on the substrate. The tether sensor determines an orientation of the tether relative to the substrate. A micro controller, receiving the measured orientation from the tether sensor, determines an orientation of the tether relative to the substrate, and as a function of the orientation, determines a corrective value and outputs the corrective value to the unmanned aerial vehicle as at least one of a roll output and a pitch output control signal.
A UAV has two rotors. First and second sensors sense a first and second type of input respectively. The second type of input is different than the first type, the first sensor providing a first sensor output and the second sensor providing a second sensor output. The first sensor output is input to a first computer and the second sensor output is input to a second computer. The first and second computer communicate in parallel to process the first and second sensor outputs to create a control signal having a predetermined number of variables therein, each variable having an exclusive position within the signal. The first computer outputs a first variable and the second computer outputs a second variable, each output being assigned an exclusive position within the control signal. At least one of the first and second computers outputting the control signal to the rotors.
Wind speed and direction experienced by the UAV at altitude is determined by placing an accelerometer, gyroscope and compass on the UAV. A change in velocity experienced by the UAV is determined by the accelerometer. An orientation relative to a reference plane and an angular velocity experienced by the UAV is determined by the gyroscope. A magnetic bearing of the UAV is determined with the compass. A roll and pitch exhibited by the UAV is determined as a function of the change in velocity, orientation and change in angular velocity. Projected roll and projected pitch vectors onto a horizontal plane cutting through the center of rotation of the UAV are determined as a function of the roll and the pitch. The wind speed of the wind experienced by the UAV is determined as a function of the projected roll vector and projected pitch vector. The wind direction is determined as a function of the projected roll vector and projected pitch vector and the magnetic bearing of the UAV.
B64D 45/00 - Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for
G01P 5/08 - Measuring speed of fluids, e.g. of air streamMeasuring speed of bodies relative to fluids, e.g. of ship, of aircraft by measuring variation of an electric variable directly affected by the flow, e.g. by using dynamo-electric effect
A system for landing an unmanned aerial vehicle has an unmanned aerial vehicle and a ground-based platform. A guide structure for receiving the unmanned aerial vehicle is mounted on the ground base platform. The guide structure has an inner diameter greater than a smallest outer diameter of the unmanned aerial vehicle landing gear and less than the largest outer diameter of the unmanned aerial vehicle landing gear.
