US 11,753,163 B1
Apparatus and system for UAV release
Nicholas H. Albrecht, Ridgecrest, CA (US); Vincent R. Schuetz, Ridgecrest, CA (US); Pavel K. Rybakov, Ridgecrest, CA (US); Chase A. York, Ridgecrest, CA (US); Scott D. Slaughter, Ridgecrest, CA (US); and Derek A. Hamel, Ridgecrest, CA (US)
Assigned to The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC (US)
Filed by The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed on May 4, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/307,687.
Application 17/307,687 is a division of application No. 16/007,733, filed on Jun. 13, 2018, granted, now 11,027,842.
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B64D 1/02 (2006.01); B64D 5/00 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64U 80/82 (2023.01)
CPC B64D 1/02 (2013.01) [B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64D 5/00 (2013.01); B64U 80/82 (2023.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) release apparatus, comprising:
a payload bay, comprising:
a baseplate having a rectangular body section and two opposing end plates, wherein said rectangular body section has an upper surface, a lower surface, four exterior side surfaces, and four interior side surfaces, wherein each of said two opposing end plates perpendicularly extends up from said upper surface at a different short end of said rectangular body section;
a lip portion in said rectangular body section, said lip portion having a recessed shelf with countersunk surface, said recessed shelf with countersunk surface positioned peripherally around said rectangular body section; and
a radio frequency (RF)-transparent bay cover releasingly-attached to said recessed shelf with countersunk surface;
said RF-transparent bay cover having an opening so dimensioned for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to jettison from said payload bay;
a payload bay door mechanism attached to said payload bay, wherein said payload bay door mechanism having two internally opening doors configured to seal said opening in said RF-transparent bay cover, said two internally opening doors configured to open by rotating internally inside said payload bay;
a rack and release system attached inside said payload bay, wherein said rack and release system is configured to retain said UAV inside said payload bay;
wherein said UAV is housed inside of said payload bay and attached to said rack and release system;
wherein said rack and release system is configured to eject said UAV from said payload bay after said payload bay door mechanism is opened; and
an electronic control stack located in said payload bay, wherein said electronic control stack is configured for command and control of said UAV after ejection from said payload bay.