IP Library Granted Patent US 9,555,873
Granted Patent B1
US 9,555,873 · App. 15/092,237 · Granted Jan 31, 2017

Aerial vehicle with deployable components

Inventors: Nicholas Robert Alley (Kennesaw, GA); Joshua Lemming Steele (Kennesaw, GA); Jesse Owen Williams (Kennesaw, GA); Daniel Kuehme (Kennesaw, GA); Jonathan Caleb Phillips (Kennesaw, GA)
Assignee: Area-I Inc.
B64C3/546B64C3/54B64C39/024B64C2201/021B64C2201/102
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,555,873
App. No.
15/092,237
Granted
Jan 31, 2017
Kind
B1
Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle with deployable components (UAVDC) is disclosed. The UAVDC may comprise a fuselage, at least one wing, and at least one control surface. In some embodiments, the UAVDC may further comprise a propulsion means and/or a modular payload. The UAVDC may be configured in a plurality of arrangements. For example, in a compact arrangement, the UAVDC may comprise the at least one wing stowed against the fuselage and the at least one control surface stowed against the fuselage. In a deployed arrangement, the UAVDC may comprise the at least one wing deployed from the fuselage and the least one control surface deployed from the fuselage. In an expanded arrangement, the UAVDC may comprise the at least one wing telescoped to increase a wingspan of the deployed arrangement.

Claims (35)

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

a fuselage;

at least one wing having an inner wing section stowed in an interior of an outer wing section;

at least one stabilizer,

wherein the at least one wing and at least one stabilizer are configurable in at least the following arrangements:

a compact arrangement comprising:

the at least one wing stowed against the fuselage, and

the at least one stabilizer stowed against the fuselage,

a deployed arrangement comprising:

the at least one wing deployed from the fuselage, and

the least one stabilizer deployed from the fuselage, and

an expanded arrangement comprising:

the at least one wing is telescoped to increase a wingspan of the deployed arrangement; and

at least one control surface hinged to the outer wing section of the at least one wing, wherein the at least one control surface is enabled to actuate when the UAV is transitioning from the compact arrangement to the deployed arrangement in order to stabilize the UAV for subsequent transition to the expanded arrangement.

2. The UAV of claim 1 , further comprising:

a sweeping means for deploying the at least one wing from the compact arrangement to the deployed arrangement.

3. The UAV of claim 1 , further comprising:

a telescoping means for expanding the wingspan of the at least one wing from the deployed arrangement to the expanded arrangement.

4. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the at least one stabilizer is configured to deploy from the compact arrangement to the deployed arrangement by a spring configured to force the at least one stabilizer into the deployed position.

5. The UAV of claim 1 , further comprising:

a propulsion means.

6. The UAV of claim 5 , wherein the propulsion means comprises at least one blade.

7. The UAV of claim 6 , wherein the at least one blade is:

stowed against the fuselage in the compact arrangement, and

deployed from the fuselage in the deployed arrangement and the expanded arrangement.

8. The UAV of claim 1 , further comprising:

a modular payload fuselage section.

9. The UAV of claim 1 , further comprising:

a deployable payload comprising:

a first configuration in the compact arrangement and a second configuration in at least one of the following: the deployed arrangement and the expanded arrangement.

10. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the compact arrangement enables the UAV to be stored in at least one of the following: a tube, a weapons bay, and a wing attachment.

11. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the deployed arrangement is configured to stabilize the UAV into a controlled flight.

12. The UAV of claim 11 , wherein the deployed arrangement being configured to stabilize the UAV into the controlled flight comprises the at least one wing and the at least one stabilizer being configured to deploy into the deployed arrangement after a release from at least one of the following: the tube, the weapons bay, and the wing attachment.

13. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the expanded arrangement is configured to increase an efficiency of the controlled flight.

14. The UAV of claim 13 , wherein the expanded arrangement being configured to increase the efficiency of the controlled flight comprises the at least one wing being configured to telescope upon having stabilized into the controlled flight.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 9, 2024
From: ANDURIL INDUSTRIES, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068526/0728 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF IPSA Recorded Feb 9, 2024
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK, A DIVISION OF FIRST-CITIZENS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
To: AREA-I, LLC
Reel/Frame 066546/0309 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2022
From: AREA-I, INC.
To: ANDURIL INDUSTRIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 060232/0424 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 2, 2021
From: AREA-I, LLC
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057054/0038 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 6, 2016
From: ALLEY, NICHOLAS ROBERT; KUEHME, DANIEL; PHILLIPS, JONATHAN CALEB; STEELE, JOSHUA LEMMING; WILLIAMS, JESSE OWEN
To: AREA-I INC.
Reel/Frame 038209/0567 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 62254098 · Nov 11, 2015