Inflatable wing
An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising an inflatable wing having a top portion connected to a bottom portion to create a seal, an inflation valve, and internal to the seal created by the top portion and the bottom portion a set of internal cells, and a vehicle portion connected to the inflatable wing.
1 . An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
an inflatable wing, the inflatable wing having an inflation valve, a top portion, a bottom portion, the top portion connected to the bottom portion to create a sealed volume, and internal to the sealed volume created by the top portion and the bottom portion a set of internal cells and a zipper configured to constrain inflation of the inflatable wing to change a bend in the inflatable wing from a dihedral arc in a first zipper state to an anhedral arc in a second zipper state;
an air pump connected to the inflation valve; and
a vehicle portion connected to the inflatable wing.
2 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 comprising composite fabrics.
3 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 2 wherein the composite fabrics are arranged to form the inflatable wing and each seam where at least two pieces of fabric are aligned and held together by one of the group selected from sewing and adhesives.
4 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 wherein the inflatable wing further has an internal manifold.
5 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 2 wherein the inflatable wing further has a set of check valves, wherein the set contains a check valve for each cell of the cells; wherein each check valve is able to retain pressure in its respective cell if another cell of the cells is punctured.
6 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a deceleration parachute; wherein the deceleration enables slowing of the UAV to allow air deployment of an inflatable wing.
7 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 wherein the inflatable wing further has a collapsible fiberglass rod, the collapsible fiberglass rod providing structure and enabling mounting of the inflatable wing to the vehicle portion.
8 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 wherein the inflatable wing further has a set of mini-ribs.
9 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 wherein the inflatable wing further has a variable cell; where inflation or deflation of the variable cell modifies wingtip geometry of the inflatable wing.
10 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 wherein the inflatable wing further has cross-bracing to connect mounting points for inflatable wing.
11 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 7 wherein the vehicle portion is connected to the inflatable wing through a set of suspension lines connected to the mounting points provided by the fiberglass rod.
12 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a deacceleration canopy.
13 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 12 wherein the air pump is battery powered.
14 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 13 wherein the inflatable wing has an internal manifold tube running through it.
15 . An inflatable wing comprising:
an inflation valve;
a top portion;
a bottom portion connected to the top portion to create a sealed volume;
a set of internal cells internal to the sealed volume; and
a zipper configured to constrain inflation of a portion of the inflatable wing to change a bend in the inflatable wing from a dihedral arc in a first zipper state to an anhedral arc in a second zipper state.