Drone Recoilless Firearm Using Counter-Mass Ejection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drone-based recoilless firearm systems are unable to effectively integrate standard ammunition and achieve recoilless operation, leading to instability and limited operational time due to the recoil force affecting the drone's flight path.
Innovation Solution
A recoilless firearm apparatus designed for drones, utilizing a front barrel and rear cartridge-chamber with a disposable firing activator, where propellant gases are directed both forward to fire the bullet and backward to eject the casing, minimizing recoil and allowing continuous shooting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a firearm is mounted on a lightweight drone, then the drone can carry weapons for offensive operations, but the recoil force pushes the drone far away from its original flying path and destabilizes the guidance system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by introducing a counter-mass mechanism that generates an opposing force to the recoil before it can destabilize the drone. The counter-mass is accelerated in the opposite direction to the projectile, creating a counter-recoil force that neutralizes the destabilizing effect on the drone's flight path and guidance system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a counter-mass system that functions as a dynamic counterweight. This counter-mass is positioned and accelerated to generate a force that balances the recoil impulse, preventing the drone from being pushed off course while maintaining flight stability during weapon discharge.
2Productivity
If a firearm is mounted on a lightweight drone, then the drone can engage in combat operations, but the recoil force completely destabilizes the guidance system including the gimbal and the gun, making it impossible to fire a second shot
Solution Approach 1:
The counter-mass mechanism provides preliminary anti-action by pre-positioning and pre-accelerating a mass in the opposite direction to the projectile. This creates a balancing force that prevents guidance system destabilization between shots, enabling rapid successive firing while maintaining aim precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic elements including a movable counter-mass and a gimbal system that can adjust in real-time. The counter-mass is accelerated dynamically during firing to counteract recoil, and the gimbal dynamically stabilizes the weapon platform, allowing the system to maintain stability and fire multiple shots in succession.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a firearm is mounted on a lightweight drone for shooting from the air, then the drone can engage ground targets, but the drone is likely to flip over due to the shooting force
Solution Approach 1:
The counter-mass system acts as a dynamic counterweight that generates an upward and backward force to counteract the downward and forward recoil impulse. This prevents the drone from flipping over when engaging ground targets, maintaining stable orientation during and after firing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by accelerating the counter-mass in the opposite direction to the projectile before the recoil can cause the drone to flip. This pre-positioned counter-force neutralizes the destabilizing moment, allowing the drone to maintain stable orientation when shooting at ground targets.
4Stability of the object's composition
If a recoilless rifle system is used, then the recoil force is counteracted by ejecting counter-mass, but the system uses special purpose ammunition and is designed for single shoot only
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a firearm system that can use standard ammunition while incorporating a reusable counter-mass mechanism. The counter-mass system can serve multiple shots by being reset and reused, unlike single-use recoilless rounds, making the system multi-functional for both standard ammo compatibility and sustained fire capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system discards only the projectile and casing after firing, while recovering and reusing the counter-mass mechanism. The counter-mass is reset to its initial position and reused for subsequent shots, reducing waste and lowering operational costs compared to single-use recoilless ammunition.
5Adaptability or versatility
If standard ammunition is used in a drone-mounted firearm, then the system can operate with conventional weapons, but the recoil force destabilizes the drone and limits operational time to about 5 minutes
Solution Approach 1:
The counter-mass mechanism provides preliminary anti-action that neutralizes recoil forces, allowing the drone to maintain stable flight during and after firing standard ammunition. This enables operational durations extending beyond the 5-minute limit of prior art systems, as the drone can fire multiple shots without destabilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The reusable counter-mass system provides continuous recoil compensation that stabilizes the drone during sustained operations with standard ammunition. This enables the drone to maintain flight stability and extend operational time well beyond previous limitations, allowing for longer missions with conventional weapons.
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
The system enables a lightweight, single-man-portable drone to carry a recoilless firearm that can fire standard ammunition repeatedly without destabilizing the drone, achieving extended operational time and precise targeting.
Implementation Method 1
a hovering subsystem configured to lift a recoilless firearm apparatus to the air
Implementation Method 2
wherein upon firing the at least one bullet, the generated propellant gases are directed both forward, thereby firing the at least one bullet
Implementation Method 3
backward, thereby ejecting the casing from the firearm apparatus, minimizing recoil
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3a
Figure 3b~4
AI summary
A recoilless firearm apparatus for firing at least one bullet of a respective standard cartridge, including a front barrel, a disposable firing activator and a rear discharge opening formed behind the front barrel and aligned with the longitudinal axis of the front barrel. The standard cartridge further includes a casing having an external diameter that is smaller than the rear cartridge-chamber diameter, wherein the casing encloses a sealed inner-casing space that contains gunpowder, and wherein the casing includes a primer. Upon activating the primer, the primer explodes to thereby detonate the gunpowder, forming propellant gasses inside the cartridge that are directed both forward and backward as follows: a) forward: firing of the bullet via the front barrel; and b) backward: pushing, by a recoil force Fp, the casing, being a counterweight to the bullet, to thereby eject the casing from the firearm apparatus via the rear discharge opening.