Convertible Biplane Drone Capture Aircraft With VTOL-to-Cruise Transition
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for law enforcement and authorities to capture, disable, and remove unauthorized or malicious drones from a threat theater due to their potential security risks and threats posed by their advancing capabilities.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft designed to convert between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation, equipped with a two-dimensional distributed thrust array and a mesh bag forming a drone capture net, capable of overtaking and capturing drones during flight, thereby disabling their operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the aircraft uses thrust-borne lift in VTOL orientation, then vertical takeoff and landing capability is improved, but forward flight speed and efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft employs dynamic reconfiguration of its propulsion system, transitioning from a vertical thrust-borne configuration for VTOL operations to a horizontal wing-borne configuration for forward flight. The distributed thrust array can change orientation and distribution, allowing the same aircraft to optimize its lift generation mechanism based on flight phase, thus resolving the contradiction between VTOL capability and forward flight speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The aircraft changes key operational parameters including thrust vector direction, lift generation mode (thrust-borne vs wing-borne), and propulsion assembly orientation. By adjusting these parameters dynamically, the system achieves both vertical takeoff/landing capability and high-speed forward flight, eliminating the trade-off between these opposing requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the aircraft converts to biplane orientation for capturing drones, then capture capability is improved, but energy efficiency during forward flight deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft dynamically transitions between flight configurations, maintaining a streamlined biplane orientation only during the brief drone capture maneuver while using efficient single-wing configuration for cruising. The propulsion system adapts in real-time, providing concentrated thrust during capture and distributed efficient thrust during transit, thus achieving capture capability without sustained energy penalty.
Solution Approach 2:
The aircraft employs periodic configuration changes, alternating between efficient forward flight mode and drone capture mode. The biplane orientation with distributed thrust array is activated only during the necessary capture window, while the majority of flight time is spent in the more energy-efficient configuration, thereby achieving versatility without continuous energy loss.
3Reliability
If the mesh bag is configured to disable rotary operations of captured drones, then security effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh bag is designed with integrated disabling features that extract or remove the drone's ability to perform rotary operations through passive mechanical constraints. The bag structure itself contains the disabling mechanism, eliminating the need for separate active disabling systems and reducing overall complexity while maintaining security effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The mesh bag uses a flexible filament matrix structure that passively constrains the captured drone, preventing rotary operations through physical entanglement and compression rather than active mechanical disabling. This flexible containment approach achieves security effectiveness with minimal added complexity compared to rigid disabling mechanisms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the efficient capture and removal of drones from a threat theater, ensuring high-speed forward flight with minimal drag and the ability to disable rotary operations of captured drones, effectively addressing the security risks posed by unauthorized drone activities.
Implementation Method 1
wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation
Implementation Method 2
two-dimensional distributed thrust array
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft for capturing drones includes an airframe having a drone channel with first and second wings extending outboard thereof. A two-dimensional distributed thrust array includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to each of the first and second wings such that the rotor disc of each propulsion assembly is outboard of the drone channel. A flight control system is coupled to the airframe and is operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies. A mesh bag is coupled to the drone channel forming a drone capture net. The aircraft is configured to convert between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. The aircraft is also configured to overtake a drone during flight in the biplane orientation such that the drone passes through the drone channel into the mesh bag, thereby capturing the drone in the drone capture net.