Method and system for inflight refueling of unmanned aerial vehicles
US8056860B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 10, 2010 |
| Grant date | Nov 15, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 10, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG05D1/104
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A system and method for refueling unmanned aerial vehicles. The system is adapted to refuel a first unmanned aerial vehicle from a second unmanned aerial vehicle and includes an arrangement for flying the first and second vehicles to proximity within a predetermined range and for connecting an umbilical from the second vehicle to the first vehicle in flight. In the illustrative embodiment, the arrangement for connecting includes a targeting system for electromagnetically detecting a refueling receptacle on the first vehicle. The targeting system includes a first coil around a refueling receptacle on the first vehicle. A seeker is disposed at a first end of said umbilical on the second vehicle. The seeker includes three detector coils adapted to detect a magnetic signal from the first coil around the receptacle on the first vehicle. The coils are mounted such that the detector coils point in different directions. The outputs of the coils are processed to determine the direction and range to the UAV from the tanker UAV.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.