Ejection system for an unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

An ejection system for an unmanned aerial vehicle from a cargo aircraft, comprising: an unmanned aerial vehicle UAV for ejecting from a cargo aircraft, the UAV comprising a fuselage, which is designed to receive cargo, and a rigid wing, which is preferably detachably fastened to the fuselage, and the ejection system also comprising a holding device for receiving the unmanned aerial vehicle, the holding device comprising a base surface and a holding element, the holding device being designed in such a way that the aerial vehicle is held in the holding device with the nose of the fuselage standing vertically on the base surface and protected against tilting by the holding element.

Description

[0001] DROP-OFF SYSTEM FOR AN UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE

[0002] TECHNICAL AREA

[0003] The present invention relates to a drop system for an unmanned aerial vehicle from the cargo hold of a cargo aircraft.

[0004] STATE OF THE ART

[0005] Cost-effective freight transport usually takes place overland or by sea using vehicles or ships. For rapid transport to a desired destination, cargo aircraft are the preferred method.

[0006] However, there are situations in which a cargo plane cannot get close enough to the cargo's destination, for example, because there is no landing site available, or because the destination area cannot be reached by air, and possibly not even by land, for military or political reasons. In such cases, airdropping the cargo from the hold of a cargo plane is an option.

[0007] Particularly in the military sector, cargo aircraft such as the Lockheed C-130 Hercules or the Airbus A400M are used. The cargo is transported on pallets in the cargo hold and can then be dropped, pallet and all, through the aircraft's cargo door via a guided system in the hold. The pallet then descends to the ground in the target area under a deploying parachute.

[0008] However, with such a drop system, the problem is that the cargo plane has to fly directly into the target area to deliver the cargo, since the cargo pallet, without its own controlled gliding capability, falls directly to the ground under the parachute.

[0009] To solve this problem, US 2018 / 0312252 A1 proposes an autonomous, unmanned aerial vehicle in the form of a cargo glider, which is dropped from a cargo aircraft and flies independently to the target area after being dropped. This eliminates the need for the cargo aircraft to fly directly to the target area; instead, the drop can be made from a distance corresponding to the cargo glider's gliding performance.

[0010] To maximize this distance, a high glide ratio for the cargo glider is desirable, which in turn requires a special aerodynamic design, particularly a high glide ratio. The glide ratio is the ratio of distance traveled to altitude lost during gliding flight. Achieving the highest possible glide ratio requires maximum lift and, therefore, a large wingspan. However, the need for a large wingspan conflicts with the requirement of loading and unloading the glider from the cargo hold of a cargo aircraft.

[0011] To solve this problem, US 2018 / 0312252 A1 discloses foldable wings that are unfolded via a rotating mechanism after being dropped.

[0012] However, the use of movable wings is disadvantageous in several respects.

[0013] On the one hand, movable or rotating wings place special demands on stability, require complicated mechanics and control, and on the other hand are more prone to malfunctions than a system with a rigid wing.

[0014] Against this background, there is a need for a UAV and a drop system for a UAV that has a high glide ratio and can nevertheless be dropped from a cargo aircraft through its loading hatch, which has a limited height and width compared to the wingspan, without the use of movable wings.

[0015] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0016] According to one embodiment, a drop system for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from a cargo aircraft is provided, comprising: an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for drop from a cargo aircraft, having a fuselage designed to receive cargo and a rigid wing preferably detachably attached to the fuselage; a holding device for receiving the unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising a base and a holding element, wherein the holding device is designed such that the aircraft is held in the holding device with the nose of the fuselage standing vertically on the base and protected against tilting by the holding element.

[0017] By designing the drop system with a holding device and a nose-mounted UAV, the drop system can be accommodated in a space-saving manner in a cargo aircraft.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the drop system is positioned in a transport aircraft with a cargo hold that can be opened via a rear hatch, and the drop system is positioned in the cargo hold such that one end of the wing of the UAV points in the direction of flight of the cargo aircraft and the other end of the wing of the UAV points towards the opening of the rear hatch.

[0019] By orienting the wing so that one end points into the cargo hold and the other towards the loading hatch, the drop system can be housed in the cargo hold of a freighter and dropped from it, despite the UAV's very large wingspan. This is possible even if the UAV's wingspan is greater than the width or height of the freighter's loading hatch.

[0020] According to one embodiment, a tow rope with a deployable parachute is provided, detachably attached to one side of the UAV, preferably to the wing of the UAV, in order to pull the UAV out of the cargo hold of the cargo aircraft and thereby jettison it.

[0021] Dropping cargo from the UAV using a deployable parachute allows for efficient delivery from the cargo hold. According to one embodiment, the tow rope attached to the UAV is detachably secured with a release mechanism, and this mechanism is designed such that, after the cargo has been dropped from the hold, the release mechanism is activated and the rope detaches from the UAV.

[0022] The detachable attachment of the tow rope allows the deployable parachute to be detached after the drop, enabling the UAV to fly freely.

[0023] According to one embodiment, when the UAV is dropped from the cargo aircraft, the pulling force of the deployable parachute pulls the UAV and the holding device together out of the cargo hold into the open air, or when the UAV is dropped from the cargo aircraft, the pulling force of the deployable parachute pulls the UAV out of the cargo hold into the open air and the holding device remains in the cargo hold.

[0024] If the holding device and UAV are pulled out of the cargo hold into the open air together, this has the disadvantage that a separation between the holding device and the UAV must still take place in the open air. In addition, the holding device is lost and cannot be reused in this case, and there is also a danger from the holding device sinking in the open air.

[0025] Removing the UAV from the cargo space while leaving the holding device in the cargo space has the advantage that separate separation in the open air is not required and loss of the holding device is avoided.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the tow rope is detachably connected to the wing of the UAV by means of a first connection and the tow rope is additionally detachably connected to the rear of the UAV by means of a second connection.

[0027] The two releasable connections allow the deployment of the canopy to be carried out in two stages. According to one embodiment, the first and second connections are controlled such that, after deployment, the first releasable connection on the wing is released first, followed by the second releasable connection at the tail.

[0028] This trigger sequence first enables the UAV to be pulled out of the cargo hold by applying force to the wing, while then, after the first connection is released, the pulling force of the deployment parachute acts on the tail and the UAV - in addition to the effect of any vertical stabilizers - is actively made to yaw in the direction of flight.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the tow rope between the first releasable connection and the second releasable connection is connected to the wing by means of one or more predetermined breaking points, wherein the predetermined breaking points are dimensioned so that they break due to the tensile force of the parachute, which is exerted on the predetermined breaking points after the drop and after the release of the first releasable connection.

[0030] By attaching the pull rope along the wing between the first detachable connection on the wing and the second detachable connection at the tail, the pull rope is guided to or close to the wing, so that it does not "flutter" as long as the first detachable connection has not yet been released but the jettison process is underway.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the holding device is designed as a box or rack to accommodate the UAV standing on its nose, and the holding element is designed as a guide element to guide the UAV standing on its nose in the holding device linearly in the guiding direction of the guide element when a tensile force is applied.

[0032] This design of the holding device and holding element allows for a controlled release of the UAV from the holding device while the holding device remains in the cargo compartment. According to one embodiment, the holding element is designed as a linear guide element to linearly guide a sliding element formed on the wing. Furthermore, at least one sliding element is formed on the wing of the UAV to guide the nose-up UAV through the linear guide element, so that when a pulling force is applied in the longitudinal direction of the wing, the nose-up UAV is guided by the applied pulling force, remaining nose-up, and by the holding element and the sliding element.

[0033] This design of the holding element and the sliding element of the UAV enable an efficient, smooth and stable drop from the cargo hold.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the linear guide element and the sliding element are designed in such a way that a linear movement in the longitudinal direction of the guide element is enabled by a positive locking connection and movement in the transverse direction to the guide element is prevented.

[0035] This ensures that the drop occurs along a defined direction of movement.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the guide element is designed as a guide rail with a C-profile and the sliding element is designed as a spherical sliding element on the UAV, preferably on the rear side of the wing in the direction of flight of the UAV, preferably at the end of the wing in the longitudinal direction or near the end of the wing in the longitudinal direction.

[0037] This design of the guide element and the sliding element enables the UAV to be guided without tilting, even if it is tilted to some extent, when being pulled out of the holding guide and the cargo space.

[0038] According to one embodiment, at least two sliding elements are provided, spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the wing by a distance of at least one quarter of the UAV's wingspan, preferably more than half the wingspan, or more than seventy percent of the wingspan, or more than ninety percent of the wingspan. The use of multiple sliding elements increases stability.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the pull rope detachably attached to the UAV, preferably to the wing, is a pull rope that is attached inside the wing and runs substantially longitudinally within the wing, extending outwards to enable the exertion of a pulling force by a deployment canopy in substantially the longitudinal direction of the wing of the UAV and thus to move the UAV, which is standing on its nose, sliding over the base of the holding device in the longitudinal direction of the wing.

[0040] Attaching the tow rope within the wing allows for a particularly stable fastening of the tow rope and thus a high pull-out force.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the nose of the UAV has a sliding or rolling device designed to facilitate or enable the UAV, when standing on its nose, to slide or roll over the base plate of the holding device when a tensile force is applied perpendicular to the fuselage direction.

[0042] The sliding or rolling device enables low-friction sliding or rolling of the UAV while standing on its nose along the direction of pull of the tow rope in the direction of release.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the sliding or rolling device is designed as a rolling device which includes a nose wheel that enables the UAV, standing vertically with its nose on the base, to roll on the base of the holding device.

[0044] This enables a particularly low-friction deployment and deployment of the UAV from the cargo hold. According to one embodiment, the axis of the nose gear is aligned so that the UAV's rolling direction is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the wing.

[0045] This allows the nose-up UAV to roll in the direction of pull of the tow rope, which runs parallel to the longitudinal direction of the wing.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the nose of the UAV fuselage is made of a more stable material than the rest of the fuselage in order to allow the UAV to stand upright on the nose of the fuselage.

[0047] The stable nose design allows the UAV to stand upright. In the absence of any other sliding or rolling mechanism, the stable nose also acts as a sliding device, enabling the UAV to slide towards the loading port.

[0048] According to one embodiment, the UAV is designed as a glider and has: a flying wing, and a fuselage preferably detachably attached to the flying wing, wherein the fuselage is designed as a cargo box for receiving payload.

[0049] Designed as a flying wing, i.e., an aircraft without a tail, it allows for easy stowage in the cargo hold of a freighter. The fuselage, acting as a cargo box, serves to hold the payload.

[0050] According to one embodiment, the UAV has one or more vertical stabilizers located on the side of the wing where the fuselage is situated. For example, if the fuselage is located on the underside of the wing, the vertical stabilizers are then located on the underside of the UAV's wing. If the fuselage, and thus the cargo box, is located above the wing, the vertical stabilizers are then located on the upper surface of the wing. The vertical stabilizers are therefore always located on the side where the fuselage is situated, i.e., "fuselage-side." These vertical stabilizers provide the UAV with flight stability, particularly in flying wing configurations.The design of the vertical stabilizers on the side of the wing where the fuselage is located ("fuselage-side"), for example on the lower wing side, avoids an increase in the "height" of the UAV due to the design of vertical stabilizers and thus enables space-saving accommodation in the cargo hold of the cargo aircraft.

[0051] According to one embodiment, one or more rigid vertical stabilizers are also provided on the side of the UAV's wing where the fuselage is not located ("non-fuselage side").

[0052] Additional vertical stabilizers on the non-fuselage side of the wing increase flight stability.

[0053] According to a preferred embodiment, the "fuselage side" is the underside of the wing.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the fuselage-side vertical stabilizers are higher in the perpendicular direction to the wing plane than the non-fuselage-side vertical stabilizers, wherein preferably the height of the lower vertical stabilizers is at least 50% higher than the height of the upper vertical stabilizers, further preferably at least 70% higher, and further preferably at least 85% higher than the height of the upper vertical stabilizers.

[0055] This design limits the increase in the "height" of the UAV by the vertical stabilizers, as the vertical stabilizers extend predominantly in the fuselage-side direction of the wing.

[0056] According to one embodiment, the fuselage of the UAV has a deployable parachute that is deployed as soon as the UAV reaches the target area.

[0057] This enables the UAV or its payload to "land" in the target area, even if there is no airfield or suitable landing area. According to one embodiment, the UAV's fuselage is equipped with an inflatable bag attached to its rear side (in the direction of flight).

[0058] The inflatable bag allows for an aerodynamically favorable extension of the fuselage in the case of a short, blunt fuselage.

[0059] According to one embodiment, the bag is inflated by air entering the fuselage during flight via one or more inlet openings provided on the fuselage.

[0060] In this way, the inflatable bag is automatically inflated after the UAV's flight phase begins.

[0061] According to one embodiment, the inflatable bag is shaped in such a way that, when inflated, it forms the stern of the hull.

[0062] This shape of the bag, when inflated, forms the tail of the hull.

[0063] According to one embodiment, the bag is shaped in such a way that, when inflated, it assumes an aerodynamic shape, thus improving the aerodynamics of the fuselage compared to the aerodynamics of the fuselage shape without the inflated bag.

[0064] This gives the inflatable bag an aerodynamically favorable effect during the flight phase of the UAV.

[0065] According to one embodiment, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), particularly for a drop system according to one of the preceding claims, is provided, comprising: a rigid wing and a fuselage preferably detachably connected to the wing, which is designed as a cargo box for receiving payload. Such a UAV enables the transport of payload to a target area.

[0066] According to the exemplary embodiments, the UAV has one or more of the features of the UAV defined in each of the aforementioned exemplary embodiments.

[0067] DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0068] Fig. 1 schematically shows a drop system according to one embodiment.

[0069] Fig. 2 schematically shows a drop system according to an exemplary embodiment positioned in a cargo hold of a cargo aircraft.

[0070] Fig. 3 schematically shows the ejection mechanism according to one embodiment.

[0071] Figures 4A-4C schematically show a drop system and a drop mechanism according to a further embodiment.

[0072] Fig. 4D schematically shows the sequence of an alignment of the UAV according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0073] Fig. 5 schematically shows a guide rail with sliding element according to an embodiment and a body with a nose wheel attached to it according to an embodiment.

[0074] Fig. 6 schematically shows a rear view of a UAV with flying wing and fuselage according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0075] Fig. 7 schematically shows a UAV with an inflatable bag according to one embodiment.

[0076] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0077] According to one embodiment, a drop system for an unmanned aerial vehicle from a cargo aircraft has two components.

[0078] The first component is the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) itself, the second component is a holding device for the UAV.

[0079] According to one embodiment, the UAV has a fuselage designed to carry cargo and a rigid wing attached to the fuselage. The wing is detachably attached to the fuselage, for example, by screws or other fasteners. The fuselage serves to carry the cargo. For this purpose, an opening for loading is provided on the top of the fuselage, which is closed by attaching the wing to the fuselage.

[0080] The holding device serves to accommodate the unmanned aerial vehicle and comprises a base and a holding element. The holding device is designed such that the aircraft, with the nose of its fuselage standing vertically on the base, is held in the holding device with the holding element protecting it against vertical tilting.

[0081] Figure 1 schematically shows an embodiment of the drop system 5 with the UAV standing on its nose 10 in the holding device 12. The nose of the UAV rests on the base 15 of the holding device 12, and the holding element 14 is detachably connected to the wing of the UAV and stabilizes the UAV against tipping. For this purpose, according to one embodiment, an engagement opening is provided in the holding element into which the wing 18 of the UAV engages, thus stabilizing the UAV against tipping. According to another embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, further holding elements 14 can be provided on the base 15 of the holding device 12, for example in the form of supports or supporting protrusions that bear against the fuselage of the UAV and stabilize the UAV against tipping.

[0082] According to one embodiment, the drop system, consisting of the holding device and the UAV held by the holding device, is loaded into the cargo hold of a cargo aircraft for transport to the vicinity of the target area. Loading is carried out via the open cargo door of the cargo aircraft. During loading, according to one embodiment, the holding device with the UAV is positioned in the cargo hold such that one end of the UAV's wing points in the direction of flight of the cargo aircraft and the other end of the UAV's wing points towards the opening of the cargo door or tailgate.

[0083] The positioning of the holding device with the UAV in the cargo hold is shown schematically in Fig. 2. One wingtip of the UAV faces the interior of the cargo hold, while the other wingtip faces the cargo door opening. This positioning ensures that the longitudinal direction of the holding device with the nose-up UAV, as well as the longitudinal direction of the wing, runs essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cargo aircraft and its flight path. In this way, a UAV with a wingspan significantly greater than the width and height of the cargo door opening when it is open can be loaded into the cargo aircraft and dropped from it.The combination of the UAV standing vertically on its nose and the UAV's wing orientation along the longitudinal axis of the cargo aircraft allows for space-saving loading of the cargo aircraft with one or more support devices carrying UAVs. As shown in Fig. 2, several support devices can be loaded into the cargo aircraft one after the other and side by side, and then dropped from it.

[0084] According to one embodiment, a tow rope with a deployable parachute is provided on the side of the UAV facing the loading opening of the cargo aircraft, in order to pull the UAV out of the cargo hold of the cargo aircraft and thereby jettison it.

[0085] Fig. 3 schematically illustrates the jettison from the cargo hold. For this purpose, a tow rope with a deployable parachute is detachably attached to the side of the UAV facing the cargo door. With the cargo door open, the pulling force of the deployable parachute pulls the UAV out of the cargo hold and thus jettisons it. As shown in Fig. 3, in this embodiment, the UAV, together with its holding device, is pulled out of the cargo hold by the deployable parachute and thus jettisoned.

[0086] According to one embodiment, the tow rope attached to the UAV is detachably connected to the UAV by a release mechanism. This release mechanism is designed so that after the UAV is dropped from its cargo bay, it is triggered, releasing the rope from the UAV. For example, a time-controlled release mechanism can be used, which releases the rope after a predetermined time following the drop. As shown in Fig. 3, after the rope is released from the UAV, it can remain connected to the holding device, thus separating the holding device from the UAV through the force of the deployment parachute acting upon it. After separation, the UAV then flies and heads towards its target area.

[0087] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, when the UAV is dropped from the cargo aircraft, the pulling force of the deployable parachute pulls the UAV and the holding device together out of the cargo hold into the open air.

[0088] In an alternative embodiment, when the UAV is dropped from the cargo aircraft, the pulling force of the deployable parachute merely pulls the UAV out of the cargo hold into the open air, while the holding device remains in the cargo hold.

[0089] Figures 4A-4C schematically illustrate such an embodiment.

[0090] According to one embodiment, the tow cable is detachably connected to the wing of the UAV by means of a first connection. Furthermore, the tow cable is additionally detachably connected to the tail of the UAV by means of a second connection. Fig. 4D shows such an embodiment. The first detachable connection (latch 1) is located at the wingtip, and the second detachable connection (latch 2) is located at the tail.

[0091] These two detachable connections allow the pull-out screen to be released in two stages, as the first and second detachable connections are controlled separately. Such control can be implemented, for example, using a timer that first triggers the first detachable connection and then, at a later time, triggers the second.

[0092] According to one embodiment, the first and second connections are controlled in such a way that, after the jettison, the first detachable connection on the wing is released first, and then the second detachable connection at the tail is released.

[0093] This trigger sequence first allows the UAV to be pulled out of the cargo bay by applying force to the wing. Then, after the first connection is released, the pulling force of the deployment canopy acts on the tail, thus actively yawing the UAV in the direction of flight – in addition to the effect of any vertical stabilizers. Once the UAV is aligned, the second releasable connection is also released. This is shown schematically in Fig. 4D, which illustrates the alignment of the UAV by sequentially releasing the first and second connections.

[0094] According to one embodiment, the tract cable between the first releasable connection and the second releasable connection is connected to the wing by means of one or more predetermined breaking points (not shown in Fig. 4D). These predetermined breaking points are dimensioned such that they break under the tensile force of the parachute, which is exerted on them after the parachute is deployed and the first releasable connection is released. Suitable implementations for such predetermined breaking points include, for example, Velcro fasteners or plastic connections, such as cable ties, which break under the tensile force of the deployed parachute after the first releasable connection is released, thus disconnecting the cable from the wing.

[0095] By attaching the pull cable along the wing between the first releaseable connection (latch 1 in Fig. 4D) on the wing and the second releaseable connection (latch 2 in Fig. 4D) at the tail, the pull cable is guided to or close to the wing, preventing it from flapping while the first releaseable connection is still attached and the release process is underway. This improves aerodynamics and ultimately the release and alignment process.

[0096] In the embodiment shown in Figures 4A-4C, the holding device is designed as a box or rack to accommodate the UAV. The base of the box or rack supports the UAV, which is positioned nose-up. The surfaces of the side walls and the upper surface of the box opposite the base form a retaining element that supports the UAV, which is positioned nose-up, against tipping.

[0097] At the same time, the side walls and the top wall of the box or rack form a guide element designed to guide the nose-up UAV linearly in the direction of the guide element when a pulling force is applied.

[0098] Fig. 4A illustrates the holding device, designed as a box or rack according to one embodiment, for receiving the UAV in a nose-up position. The length, width, and height of the box or rack are dimensioned to accommodate the UAV in this nose-up position. The side walls of the box and the upper wall opposite the base act as a holding element and stabilize the UAV against tipping. Simultaneously, they function as a linear guide element that, when a tensile force is applied in the guide direction, moves the UAV out of the holding device and counteracts any tipping of the UAV.

[0099] Fig. 4A shows a perspective view of several such boxes positioned side by side in the cargo hold of a cargo aircraft or on its loading ramp. It is evident that the side of the box or rack facing the loading opening or the open air is missing, and the wingtip of a UAV inside the box, which is upside down, is also visible. Fig. 4B shows a rear view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 4A with the UAVs inside the boxes.

[0100] Fig. 4C schematically illustrates the drop procedure from the cargo hold in this embodiment. The UAV is pulled out of the cargo hold and into the open air via the loading hatch by the deployable canopy, while the holding device remains in the cargo hold. The side walls and the top of the box act as guide elements, directing the UAV out of the holding device and thus out of the cargo hold and into the open air in response to the pulling force exerted by the deployable canopy. After being dropped into the open air, the connection between the tow cable and the UAV is released, as in the previous embodiment, and the UAV begins its autonomous flight to the target area.

[0101] According to a further embodiment, the holding element of the holding device is designed as a linear guide element to linearly guide a sliding element formed on the wing. The holding device itself is designed in the form of a box or a rack. The UAV rests nose-down on the base of the box or rack. A guide rail is provided on the upper side of the box or rack, designed to guide a sliding element formed on the UAV, preferably on the wing of the UAV.

[0102] According to one embodiment, the linear guide element and the sliding element are designed in such a way that a linear movement in the longitudinal direction of the guide element is enabled by a positive locking connection and movement in the transverse direction to the guide element is prevented.

[0103] According to one embodiment of such a positive-locking connection, the guide rail is designed as a C-profile. The sliding element formed on the UAV or the wing of the UAV is essentially spherical, with the spherical shape being flattened at the poles according to one embodiment. Fig. 5 schematically illustrates the guide rail 50 with C-profile and the spherical sliding element 51 guided therein and formed on the wing. As shown in Fig. 5, the spherical sliding element is connected to the wing 53 at the rear of the wing by means of a rod-shaped connecting element 52. Preferably, the sliding element is positioned at the distal end of the wing, i.e., the end furthest from the fuselage. The distance from the fuselage is at least 25% of the wingspan, preferably at least 40% of the wingspan, and more preferably at least 45% of the wingspan.The closer the sliding element is to the outer end of the wing, the greater the leverage and therefore the smaller the force required to stabilize and guide the UAV through the sliding element and the guide element.

[0104] For supporting the UAV when it is standing on its nose and for guiding it along the guide rail, one sliding element is sufficient, and according to one embodiment, such a sliding element is provided. According to another embodiment, however, the UAV has at least two sliding elements that are guided by the guide rail.

[0105] The at least two sliding elements in the longitudinal direction of the wing have a distance from each other that is at least one quarter of the wingspan of the UAV, preferably more than half of the wingspan of the UAV, or more than seventy percent of the wingspan of the UAV, or more than ninety percent of the wingspan of the UAV.

[0106] According to one embodiment, the UAV is pulled out of the holding device and the cargo compartment into the open air by a deployable parachute in order to be jettisoned. During this process, the UAV, standing on its nose, slides across the base of the holding device.

[0107] According to one embodiment, to facilitate the sliding process, the nose of the UAV has a sliding or rolling device designed to enable or facilitate the UAV standing on its nose to slide or roll over the base plate of the holding device when a tensile force is applied perpendicular to the fuselage direction.

[0108] According to one embodiment, the sliding or rolling device comprises a nose wheel formed on the nose of the UAV, which enables the UAV, standing perpendicular with its nose on the base, to roll on the base of the holding device. Fig. 5 schematically shows such a “nose wheel” 55 or a “nose roller” 55 formed or attached to the nose (of the fuselage 54).

[0109] The axis of the nose wheel is aligned so that the rolling direction of the UAV standing on its nose is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the wing.

[0110] As previously described, the UAV rests on its nose in the mounting bracket. This means the nose of the UAV must bear the entire weight of the UAV itself as well as the weight of the cargo. According to one embodiment, the nose of the UAV fuselage is therefore made of a more robust material than the rest of the fuselage to allow the UAV to stand upright on its nose.

[0111] The preceding embodiments described a UAV and a holding device for the UAV. Below are some further embodiments of the UAV that can also be picked up and transported using the holding devices described previously.

[0112] According to one embodiment, the UAV is designed as a glider. The glider has two components: a flying wing and a fuselage preferably detachably attached to the flying wing, the fuselage being designed as a cargo box for carrying cargo. According to one embodiment, the fuselage is located on the underside of the wing.

[0113] The detachable attachment of the flying wing to the fuselage or cargo box is achieved, for example, by means of screws or other fastening devices.

[0114] According to one embodiment, the flying wing has no controllable vertical stabilizer and no horizontal stabilizer, which is characteristic of a flying wing.

[0115] However, according to one embodiment, the flying wing has two or more fixed vertical stabilizers. Some or all of the UAV's vertical stabilizers are located on the fuselage side, i.e., on the underside of the wing, and thus point downwards. This fuselage-side design allows for space-saving storage of the UAV in the mounting bracket and ultimately in the cargo hold of the transport aircraft.

[0116] According to one embodiment, one or more fixed vertical stabilizers can also be formed on the upper surface of the wing. These stabilizers, which are not fuselage-mounted (i.e., located on the upper surface of the wing), are, however, lower in the direction perpendicular to the wing plane than the stabilizers located on the fuselage-mounted side of the lower wing surface. By allocating less height to the vertical stabilizers on the upper surface of the wing than on the lower surface, a more space-saving arrangement of the UAV in the mounting bracket and thus in the cargo compartment can be achieved. Preferably, the height of the lower vertical stabilizers is at least 50% greater than the height of the upper vertical stabilizers, more preferably at least 70% greater, and further preferably at least 85% greater than the height of the upper vertical stabilizers.

[0117] Fig. 6 schematically shows the UAV with flying wing and fuselage in a rear view. The eight fixed vertical stabilizers on the flying wing are visible. Four of the stabilizers are located on the upper surface of the wing, and four on the lower surface. It can be seen that the upper stabilizers are significantly shorter than the lower ones.

[0118] In an alternative embodiment, the fuselage is formed on the upper surface of the wing. In this embodiment, the position of the vertical stabilizers is exactly reversed relative to the wing surface, i.e., they are located on the upper surface. Additionally, smaller vertical stabilizers can be attached to the underside relative to the vertical stabilizers on the upper surface, analogous to the previous embodiments.

[0119] According to one embodiment, the UAV is controlled solely via the combined elevator and ailerons. An avionics unit is provided for controlling the UAV; according to one embodiment, this unit includes an autopilot that autonomously steers the UAV to the target area after launch. According to one embodiment, the avionics unit is housed within the flying wing, preferably along with the power supply and all other electronics.

[0120] According to one embodiment, the fuselage has a deployable parachute that is deployed as soon as the UAV reaches the target area. The UAV then glides to the ground under the parachute.

[0121] According to an embodiment schematically depicted in Fig. 7, the fuselage 70 of the UAV is provided on its rearward side (in the direction of flight) with a ram-pressure-filled, aerodynamic fairing 71 (e.g., made of flexible fabric), essentially an "inflatable bag," which is attached to the fuselage. This bag is inflated during flight by air entering the fuselage through one or more inlets. The inflatable bag is shaped such that, when inflated, it forms the tail of the fuselage. The bag is shaped in such a way that, when inflated, it assumes an aerodynamic form, thus improving the aerodynamics of the fuselage compared to the aerodynamics of the fuselage without the inflated bag.

[0122] This allows the fuselage to be made comparatively short, which is advantageous given the limited height of the cargo door of the aircraft in which the UAV is to be transported. The fuselage, or rather the end of the fuselage without the inflated bag, can thus have a "blunt" or "flat" shape, as shown in Fig. 1. This results in more storage space for payload within the fuselage compared to a fuselage without the inflatable bag, which would have to be aerodynamically shaped at its end with the same thickness. The inflatable bag attached to the rear of the fuselage therefore increases the transportable payload for a given length of the rigid fuselage (without considering the inflatable bag), while simultaneously improving aerodynamics, compared to a "rigid" fuselage that is also aerodynamically shaped at the rear.

[0123] The following are aspects of the present revelation.

[0124] 1. Drop system for an unmanned aerial vehicle from a cargo aircraft, comprising: an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for drop from a cargo aircraft, comprising a fuselage designed to receive cargo and a rigid wing preferably detachably attached to the fuselage, a holding device for receiving the unmanned aerial vehicle comprising a base and a holding element, wherein the holding device is designed such that the aircraft is held in the holding device with the nose of the fuselage standing vertically on the base and protected against tilting by the holding element.

[0125] 2. Drop system according to aspect 1, wherein the drop system is positioned in a transport aircraft with a cargo hold that can be opened via a rear hatch, and the drop system is positioned in the cargo hold such that one end of the wing of the UAV points in the direction of flight of the cargo aircraft and the other end of the wing of the UAV points towards the opening of the rear hatch.

[0126] 3. Drop system according to aspect 1 or 2, wherein a tow rope with a deployable parachute is provided, detachably attached to one side of the UAV, preferably to the wing of the UAV, to pull the UAV out of the cargo hold of the cargo aircraft and thereby drop it. 4. Drop system according to aspect 3, wherein the tow rope attached to the UAV is detachably fastened with a release mechanism, and the release mechanism is designed such that, after the UAV has been dropped from the cargo hold, the release mechanism is triggered and the rope detaches from the UAV.

[0127] 5. Drop system according to aspect 4, wherein, when the UAV is dropped from the cargo aircraft, the UAV and the holding device are pulled together out of the cargo hold into the open air by the pulling force of the deployable parachute, or wherein, when the UAV is dropped from the cargo aircraft, the UAV is pulled out of the cargo hold into the open air by the pulling force of the deployable parachute and the holding device remains in the cargo hold.

[0128] 6. Drop system according to one of aspects 3 to 5, wherein the tow rope is detachably connected to the wing of the UAV by means of a first connection and the tow rope is additionally detachably connected to the rear of the UAV by means of a second connection.

[0129] 7. Drop system according to aspect 6, wherein the first and second connections are controlled in such a way that after the drop the first detachable connection on the wing is released first and then the second detachable connection on the tail is released.

[0130] 8. Drop system according to aspect 6 or 7, wherein the pull rope between the first releasable connection and the second releasable connection is connected to the wing by means of one or more predetermined breaking points, wherein the predetermined breaking points are dimensioned so that they break due to the tensile force of the parachute exerted on the predetermined breaking points after the drop and after the release of the first releasable connection.

[0131] 9. Drop system according to one of aspects 1 to 8, wherein the holding device is designed as a box or rack to receive the UAV standing on its nose and the holding element is designed as a guide element to guide the UAV standing on its nose in the holding device linearly in the direction of guidance of the guide element when a pulling force is applied.

[0132] 10. Drop system according to one of the preceding aspects 1 to 9, wherein the holding element is designed as a linear guide element to guide a sliding element formed on the wing linearly, wherein at least one sliding element is further formed on the wing of the UAV to guide the nose-up UAV through the linear guide element, so that when a pulling force is applied in the longitudinal direction of the wing, the nose-up UAV is guided by the applied pulling force, remaining nose-up and through the holding element and the sliding element.

[0133] 11. Discharge system according to aspect 10, wherein the linear guide element and the sliding element are designed in such a way that a linear movement in the longitudinal direction of the guide element is enabled by a positive locking connection and a movement in the transverse direction to the guide element is prevented.

[0134] 12. Drop system according to aspect 10 or 11, wherein the guide element is designed as a guide rail with a C-profile and the sliding element is designed as a spherical sliding element on the UAV, preferably on the rear side of the wing in the direction of flight of the UAV, preferably at the end of the wing in the longitudinal direction or near the end of the wing in the longitudinal direction.

[0135] 13. Drop system according to any one of aspects 10 to 12, wherein at least two sliding elements are provided which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the wing by a distance of at least one quarter of the wingspan of the UAV, preferably more than half the wingspan of the UAV, or more than seventy percent of the wingspan of the UAV, or more than ninety percent of the wingspan of the UAV. 14. Drop system according to any one of aspects 1 to 13, wherein the pull cable detachably attached to the UAV, preferably to the wing, is a pull cable that is attached within the wing and extends substantially longitudinally within the wing to the outside in order to enable the exertion of a pulling force by a deployment parachute substantially longitudinally along the wing of the UAV and thus to move the nose-up UAV sliding longitudinally along the base of the holding device.

[0136] 15. Drop system according to any of aspects 1 to 14, wherein the nose of the UAV has a sliding or rolling device designed to facilitate or enable the nose-standing UAV to slide or roll over the base plate of the holding device when a tensile force perpendicular to the fuselage direction is applied.

[0137] 16. Drop system according to aspect 15, wherein the sliding or rolling device includes a nose wheel that enables the UAV, standing perpendicular with its nose on the base, to roll on the base of the holding device.

[0138] 17. Drop system according to aspect 16, wherein the axis of the nose wheel is aligned so that the rolling direction of the UAV is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the wing.

[0139] 18. Drop system according to one of aspects 1 to 17, wherein the nose of the UAV fuselage is made of more stable material than the rest of the fuselage to allow the UAV to stand upright on the nose of the fuselage.

[0140] 19. Drop system according to one of aspects 1 to 18, wherein the UAV is designed as a glider and comprises: a flying wing, and a fuselage preferably detachably attached to the underside of the wing, wherein the fuselage is designed as a cargo box for receiving payload.

[0141] 20. Drop system according to one of aspects 1 to 19, wherein the UAV has one or more vertical stabilizers formed on the fuselage-side side of the wing.

[0142] 21. Drop system according to aspect 20, wherein one or more rigid vertical stabilizers are further formed on the non-fuselage side of the wing of the UAV.

[0143] 22. Drop system according to aspect 21, wherein the vertical stabilizers formed on the fuselage-side side of the wing are higher in a perpendicular direction to the wing plane than the vertical stabilizers formed on the non-fuselage-side wing, wherein preferably the height of the fuselage-side vertical stabilizers is at least 50% higher than the height of the non-fuselage-side vertical stabilizers, further preferably at least 70% higher, further preferably at least 85% higher than the height of the non-fuselage-side vertical stabilizers.

[0144] 23. Drop system according to one of aspects 1 to 22, wherein the fuselage of the UAV has a deployable parachute which is deployed once the UAV has reached the target area.

[0145] 24. Drop system according to one of aspects 1 to 23, wherein the fuselage of the UAV is provided on its rear side in the direction of flight with an inflatable bag which is attached to the fuselage.

[0146] 25. Drop system according to aspect 24, wherein this bag is inflated through one or more inlets provided on the fuselage by air entering the fuselage during flight. 26. Drop system according to aspect 24 or 25, wherein the inflatable bag is shaped so that, when inflated, it forms the tail of the fuselage.

[0147] 27. Drop system according to one of aspects 23 to 26, wherein the bag is shaped so that when inflated it assumes an aerodynamic shape and thus improves the aerodynamics of the fuselage compared with the aerodynamics of the shape of the fuselage without the inflated bag.

[0148] 28. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), in particular for a drop system according to one of aspects 1 to 27, which has: a rigid wing and a fuselage preferably detachably connected to the wing, which is designed as a cargo box for receiving payload.

[0149] 29. UAV according to aspect 25, furthermore exhibiting one or more of the additional features of the UAV defined in one of aspects 3, 4, 10-18, or 20-28.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Drop system for an unmanned aerial vehicle from a cargo aircraft, comprising: an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for drop from a cargo aircraft, comprising a fuselage designed to receive cargo and a rigid wing preferably detachably attached to the fuselage, a holding device for receiving the unmanned aerial vehicle comprising a base and a holding element, wherein the holding device is designed such that the aircraft is held in the holding device with the nose of the fuselage standing vertically on the base and protected against tilting by the holding element.

2. Drop system according to claim 1, wherein the drop system is positioned in a transport aircraft having a cargo compartment that can be opened via a rear hatch, and the drop system is positioned in the cargo compartment such that one end of the wing of the UAV points in the direction of flight of the cargo aircraft and the other end of the wing of the UAV points in the direction of the opening of the rear hatch.

3. Drop system according to claim 1, wherein a tow rope with a deployable parachute is provided, detachably attached to one side of the UAV, preferably to the wing of the UAV, in order to pull the UAV out of the cargo hold of the cargo aircraft and thereby drop it.

4. Drop system according to claim 3, wherein the tow rope attached to the UAV is detachably fastened with a release mechanism and the release mechanism is designed such that after drop from the cargo hold, the release mechanism is triggered and the rope detaches from the UAV.

5. Discharge system according to claim 4, wherein When the UAV is dropped from the cargo aircraft, the pulling force of the deployable parachute pulls the UAV and the holding device together out of the cargo hold into the open air, or when the UAV is dropped from the cargo aircraft, the pulling force of the deployable parachute pulls the UAV out of the cargo hold into the open air and the holding device remains in the cargo hold.

6. Drop system according to claim 3, wherein the tow rope is detachably connected to the wing of the UAV by means of a first connection and the tow rope is additionally detachably connected to the rear of the UAV by means of a second connection.

7. Drop system according to claim 6, wherein the first and second connection are controlled such that after the drop the first releasable connection on the wing is released first and then the second releasable connection on the tail is released.

8. Drop system according to claim 6, wherein the pull rope between the first releasable connection and the second releasable connection is connected to the wing by means of one or more predetermined breaking points, wherein the predetermined breaking points are dimensioned such that they break due to the tensile force of the parachute exerted on the predetermined breaking points after the drop and after the release of the first releasable connection.

9. Drop system according to claim 1, wherein the holding device is designed as a box or rack for receiving the UAV standing on its nose and the holding element is designed as a guide element to guide the UAV standing on its nose in the holding device linearly in the guiding direction of the guide element when a pulling force is applied.

10. Drop-off system according to claim 1, wherein the retaining element is designed as a linear guide element to guide a sliding element formed on the wing linearly, further wherein At least one sliding element is formed on the wing of the UAV to guide the nose-up UAV through the linear guide element, so that when a pulling force is applied in the longitudinal direction of the wing, the nose-up UAV is guided by the applied pulling force, remaining nose-up and through the holding element and the sliding element.

11. Discharge system according to claim 10, wherein the linear guide element and the sliding element are designed such that a linear movement in the longitudinal direction of the guide element is enabled by a positive locking connection and a movement in the transverse direction to the guide element is prevented.

12. Drop system according to claim 10, wherein the guide element is designed as a guide rail with a C-profile and the sliding element is designed as a spherical sliding element on the UAV, preferably on the rear side of the wing in the direction of flight of the UAV, preferably at the end of the wing in the longitudinal direction or near the end of the wing in the longitudinal direction.

13. Drop system according to claim 10, wherein at least two sliding elements are provided which have a distance from each other in the longitudinal direction of the wing which is at least one quarter of the wingspan of the UAV, preferably more than half of the wingspan of the UAV, or more than seventy percent of the wingspan of the UAV, or more than ninety percent of the wingspan of the UAV.

14. Drop system according to claim 1, comprising the pull rope detachably attached to the UAV, preferably to the wing, is a pull rope attached within the wing and extending outwards substantially longitudinally within the wing to enable the exertion of a pulling force by a deployable parachute substantially longitudinally along the wing of the UAV and thus to release the parachute on the nose to move the stationary UAV by sliding it across the base of the holding device in the longitudinal direction of the wing.

15. Drop system according to claim 1, wherein the nose of the UAV has a sliding or rolling device designed to facilitate or enable the nose-standing UAV to slide or roll over the base plate of the holding device when a tensile force perpendicular to the fuselage direction is applied.

16. Drop system according to claim 15, wherein the sliding or rolling device comprises a nose wheel which enables the UAV, standing perpendicular with its nose on the base, to roll on the base of the holding device.

17. Drop system according to claim 16, wherein the axis of the nose wheel is aligned such that the rolling direction of the UAV is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the wing.

18. Drop system according to claim 1, wherein the nose of the fuselage of the UAV is made of a more stable material than the rest of the fuselage in order to allow the UAV to stand upright on the nose of the fuselage.

19. Drop system Claim 1, wherein the UAV is designed as a glider and comprises: a flying wing, and a fuselage preferably detachably attached to the flying wing on the underside of the wing, wherein the fuselage is designed as a cargo box for receiving payload.

20. Drop system according to claim 1, wherein the UAV has one or more vertical stabilizers formed on the fuselage-side side of the wing.

21. Drop system according to claim 20, wherein one or more rigid vertical stabilizers are further formed on the non-fuselage side of the wing of the UAV.

22. Drop system according to claim 21, wherein the vertical stabilizers formed on the fuselage-side side of the wing are formed higher in a perpendicular direction to the wing plane than the vertical stabilizers formed on the non-fuselage-side wing side, wherein preferably the height of the fuselage-side vertical stabilizers is at least 50% higher than the height of the non-fuselage-side vertical stabilizers, further preferably at least 70% higher, further preferably at least 85% higher than the height of the non-fuselage-side vertical stabilizers.

23. Drop system according to claim 1, wherein the fuselage of the UAV has a deployable parachute which is deployed as soon as the UAV has reached the target area.

24. Drop system Claim 1, wherein the fuselage of the UAV is provided on its rear side in the direction of flight with an inflatable bag which is attached to the fuselage.

25. Drop system according to claim 24, wherein this bag is inflated by air entering the fuselage during flight via one or more inlet openings provided on the fuselage.

26. Drop system according to claim 24, wherein the inflatable bag is shaped such that, when inflated, it forms the tail of the fuselage.

27. Drop system according to claim 23, wherein the bag is shaped such that, when inflated, it assumes an aerodynamic shape and thus improves the aerodynamics The aerodynamics of the fuselage shape are improved compared to the shape of the fuselage without the inflated bag.

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