UAV Jettison Apparatus with Spring-Loaded Ejector Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current UAV jettison systems face limitations due to restricted payload volume and drag issues, which restrict the transport and deployment of various UAV types, including multirotor UAVs, and negatively impact flight performance.
Innovation Solution
A UAV jettison apparatus featuring a payload bay with a spring-loaded ejector plate and releasable latch mechanism, allowing for inverted mounting and efficient launch of UAVs, minimizing drag by aligning the ejector plate with the aircraft's fairing upon release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the UAV is stored within the fuselage and released through bomb bay doors, then the UAV can be transported to the desired location, but the payload volume of the fuselage restricts various types of UAVs including multirotor UAVs
Solution Approach 1:
The fuselage is divided into separate compartments: a pressurized crew compartment and an unpressurized payload bay. This segmentation allows the payload bay to be optimized for UAV storage without compromising the crew compartment volume, thereby increasing adaptability for various UAV types while maintaining manageable fuselage volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The payload bay is positioned beneath the fuselage extending rearward from the bomb bay doors, utilizing the vertical and rearward dimensions rather than only the internal fuselage volume. This dimensional expansion provides additional storage space for larger UAVs including multirotor configurations without increasing the overall fuselage cross-sectional area.
2Ease of operation
If the bomb bay doors are opened for UAV release, then the UAV can be jettisoned to the desired region, but the bomb bay doors negatively affect flight performance due to drag occurring beneath the aircraft
Solution Approach 1:
The UAV release function is extracted from the bomb bay door system and relocated to the ejector plate mechanism at the rear of the payload bay. The bomb bay doors remain closed during flight, eliminating drag, while the UAV is released through the rear opening of the payload bay using the ejector plate and spring-loaded mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
An ejector plate serves as an intermediary mechanism between the UAV and the payload bay. The plate is launched downward by spring-loaded mechanisms to eject the UAV from the payload bay through the rear opening, enabling UAV release without opening the bomb bay doors and thus avoiding the drag problem.
3Productivity
If a spring-loaded ejector plate mechanism is used for UAV launch, then various UAV types can be deployed efficiently, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded ejector plate mechanism is a self-service system that uses pre-compressed springs to automatically launch the ejector plate and eject the UAV. Once activated by releasing the latch mechanism, the system performs the entire launch sequence without requiring additional power sources, control systems, or manual intervention during the ejection process, thereby limiting the increase in complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ejector plate is designed as a disposable component that is launched with the UAV and discarded after a single use. This eliminates the need for complex recovery and reuse mechanisms, allowing the launch system to achieve high deployment efficiency with relatively simple spring-loaded mechanisms and latch systems.
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 transport and deployment of various UAV types, including multirotor UAVs, while reducing drag and extending flight performance by optimizing the launch mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
a spring-loaded mechanism for launching the ejector plate downwards from a stowed position to a launch position and comprising: one or more coil springs
Implementation Method 2
the one or more coil springs may bias the ejector plate downwards and away from the top plate to the launch position
Data Source
AI summary
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) jettison apparatus. The UAV jettison apparatus may comprise a payload bay, fairing, ejector plate, and releasable latch. The payload bay may be mounted beneath an aircraft and may have an inner space and a top plate attached therewith. The fairing may substantially cover the inner space of the payload bay and may have an opening positioned directly below the top plate. The ejector plate, which may be spring-loaded, may substantially cover the opening and may be used to mount the UAV. The releasable latch, which may be disposed between the top plate and the ejector plate, may releasably lock and hold the UAV in a stowed position and, upon release, may allow the ejector plate to move into a launch position, such that the UAV is released and jettisoned from a larger aircraft.