Airborne recovery of unmanned aerial vehicles

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

United States of America Patent

PATENT NO 11820531
APP PUB NO 20230150691A1
SERIAL NO

17455376

Stats

ATTORNEY / AGENT: (SPONSORED)

Importance

Loading Importance Indicators... loading....

Abstract

See full text

Features for in-flight recovery of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A towline may be deployed by a host aircraft in-flight to recover an in-flight target UAV. The towline or portion thereof may be oriented nearly vertical. The towline may have a fitting thereon. A capture mechanism on the target UAV may have one or more deployable flaps that engage with the near vertical towline and fitting. The flaps may stow to secure the target aircraft to the towline and fitting. The host aircraft may then retract the towline to pull in the target UAV to the host aircraft using a hoist system having a winch. A latching system located in a pylon of the host aircraft, which may be under a wing, may have a towline connector that engages with and secures the target UAV. The host aircraft may have multiple hoist systems for deployment and/or recovery of multiple target UAV's.

Loading the Abstract Image... loading....

First Claim

See full text

Family

Loading Family data... loading....

Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddress
GENERAL ATOMICS AERONAUTICAL SYSTEMS INC3550 GENERAL ATOMICS COURT SAN DIEGO CA 92121

International Classification(s)

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Allwein, Michael Joseph San Luis Obispo, US 9 10
Bylard, Ryan San Diego, US 2 1
Groves, James William La Mesa, US 2 1
Hultenius, Roy Encinitas, US 4 1
Koller, Kevin David Ramona, US 5 13

Cited Art Landscape

Load Citation

Patent Citation Ranking

Forward Cite Landscape

Load Citation

Maintenance Fees

Fee Large entity fee small entity fee micro entity fee due date
3.5 Year Payment $1600.00 $800.00 $400.00 May 21, 2027
7.5 Year Payment $3600.00 $1800.00 $900.00 May 21, 2031
11.5 Year Payment $7400.00 $3700.00 $1850.00 May 21, 2035
Fee Large entity fee small entity fee micro entity fee
Surcharge - 3.5 year - Late payment within 6 months $160.00 $80.00 $40.00
Surcharge - 7.5 year - Late payment within 6 months $160.00 $80.00 $40.00
Surcharge - 11.5 year - Late payment within 6 months $160.00 $80.00 $40.00
Surcharge after expiration - Late payment is unavoidable $700.00 $350.00 $175.00
Surcharge after expiration - Late payment is unintentional $1,640.00 $820.00 $410.00