Insitu, Inc.

The Boeing Company

Theboeing Company

Wayne David Goodrich

Rolf Rysdyk

Andrew Royds Hayes

Matthew David Grubb

Darcy Lynn Davidson

Jeffrey H Knapp

Peter J Kunz

Douglas Allyn Miller

Bradley Louis Schrick

Matthew Jacob Bartow

James Mcgrew

Jeffrey David Lydecker

Charles Lawrence Guthrie

Rolf Theodoor Rysdyk

Jeffrey Hugh Knapp

Darcy Lynn Davidson Jr

James Statelar Mcgrew

Andrew Hayes

Peter Josef Kunz

Charlie Guthrie

Jacob Scott Allen

Bradley Schrick

Daniel Robert Cirulnick

An aircraft has a fuselage, a wing assembly coupleable to the fuselage, and an empennage including a pair of tail booms configured to be removably coupled to the wing assembly. The wing assembly includes a pair of boom interfaces located on laterally opposite sides of the fuselage. Each tail boom has a boom forward end configured to be mechanically attached to one of the boom interfaces using an externally-accessible mechanical fastener.

Unmanned aerial vehicle

Systems and methods for countering an unmanned air vehicle are disclosed. An example method includes detecting a target UAV via a first component of a target acquisition system. The example method further includes, in response to detecting the target UAV, directing, by executing one or more computer-readable instructions of a launch control system in communication with the target acquisition system, an interceptor UAV to launch. The example method further includes, subsequent to the launch, tracking the target UAV via a second component of the target acquisition system, the second component carried by the interceptor UAV. The example method further includes, when the target UAV is within a target range of the interceptor UAV, deploying a disabling element from the interceptor UAV toward the target UAV.

Systems and methods for countering an unmanned air vehicle

An aircraft includes a fuselage having a longitudinal axis, a wing assembly, and a fuselage positioning mechanism operatively connecting the fuselage to the wing assembly. The fuselage positioning mechanism is operable to move the fuselage relative to the wing assembly in a longitudinal direction parallel to the longitudinal axis between a fuselage maximum forward position and a fuselage maximum aft position. When the aircraft for flight, a position of a center of gravity of the aircraft relative to a center of lift is determined. The fuselage can be moved relative to the wing assembly to bring the center of gravity within an allowable range of distances from the center of lift to balance the aircraft for flight. The fuselage positioning mechanism can be automated to allow adjustment of the fuselage position during the flight of the aircraft.

Movable wing for weight and balance management

Systems and methods for countering an unmanned air vehicle are disclosed. Representative methods include directing an interceptor UAV toward a target UAV, and directing the interceptor UAV back to ground along a controlled flight path, for example, in response to an instruction not to engage with the target UAV, and/or in response to an unsuccessful engagement. Another representative method includes disabling the target UAV by deploying a disabling element (e.g., a net) from the interceptor UAV to contact the target UAV. Representative systems include a target acquisition system, a launch control system, and an engagement system carried by the interceptor UAV. In particular embodiments, the interceptor UAV can have a generally cylindrical fuselage, one or more fins carried by the fuselage, counter-rotating propellers carried by the fuselage, and a disabling system that is configured to disable the target UAV.

Systems and methods countering an unmanned air vehicle

Methods and apparatuses for measuring and adjusting tension in pliant tension members, including aircraft recovery lines. A tool for indicating tension in a pliant tension member in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, for example, can include a first support member releasably coupled to a flexible line suspended from a support structure. The first support member is positioned generally parallel to the flexible line. The tool can also include a second support member coupled to the first support member and positioned at an acute angle relative to the first support member. The second support member has a center of gravity at a selected distance from the flexible line. The second support member is generally horizontal when the tension in the flexible line is at a desired value.

Methods and apparatuses for indicating and/or adjusting tension in pliant tension members, including aircraft recovery lines

Growing community of inventors

Moses Lake, WA, United States of America

Wayne David Goodrich