Title:
REMOTELY PILOTED AIRCRAFT
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO2001058758
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
This disclosure provides a solar rechargeable aircraft (10) that is inexpensive to produce, is steerable, and can remain airborne almost indefinitely. The preferred aircraft is a span-loaded flying wing, having no fuselage or rudder. The aircraft can be remotely piloted through multiple, redundant communication subsystems. The availability and reliability of each separate communication subsystem is continuously monitored. The aircraft has a wide variety of applications, which include serving as a long term high altitude platform that serves to link a ground station using radio wave signals and a satellite using optical signals.
Inventors:
MACCREADY PAUL
HIBBS BART D
COX EARL C
LISOSKI DEREK L
KENDALL GREG T
HIBBS BART D
COX EARL C
LISOSKI DEREK L
KENDALL GREG T
Application Number:
PCT/US2001/004632
Publication Date:
May 02, 2002
Filing Date:
February 12, 2001
Export Citation:
Assignee:
AEROVIRONMENT INC (US)
International Classes:
B64C3/42; B64C3/52; B64C15/02; B64C39/00; B64C39/02; B64C39/10; B64D27/24; B64D31/06; G05D1/00; H04B7/185; (IPC1-7): B64C39/02; G05D1/00; H04B7/185
Domestic Patent References:
| WO1997033790A1 | 1997-09-18 | |||
| WO1995012237A1 | 1995-05-04 | |||
| WO1995004407A1 | 1995-02-09 | |||
| WO1999013598A1 | 1999-03-18 |
Foreign References:
| FR2721458A1 | 1995-12-22 | |||
| DE1215222B | 1966-04-28 | |||
| US2626348A | 1953-01-20 | |||
| GB2082995A | 1982-03-17 | |||
| US5810284A | 1998-09-22 |
Other References:
FLITTIE K, CURTIN B: "Pathfinder Solar-Powered Aircraft Flight Performance", AIAA ATMOSPHERIC FLIGHT MECHANICS CONFERENCE AND EXHIBIT - A COLLECTION OF TECHNICAL PAPERS, 10 August 1998 (1998-08-10) - 12 August 1998 (1998-08-12), Boston, MA, USA, XP001014531
DJUKNIC G M ET AL: "ESTABLISHING WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES VIA HIGH-ALTITUDE AERONAUTICAL PLATFORMS: A CONCEPT WHOSE TIME HAS COME?", IEEE COMMUNICATIONS MAGAZINE, IEEE SERVICE CENTER. PISCATAWAY, N.J, US, vol. 35, no. 9, 1 September 1997 (1997-09-01), pages 128 - 135, XP000704432, ISSN: 0163-6804
DJUKNIC G M ET AL: "ESTABLISHING WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES VIA HIGH-ALTITUDE AERONAUTICAL PLATFORMS: A CONCEPT WHOSE TIME HAS COME?", IEEE COMMUNICATIONS MAGAZINE, IEEE SERVICE CENTER. PISCATAWAY, N.J, US, vol. 35, no. 9, 1 September 1997 (1997-09-01), pages 128 - 135, XP000704432, ISSN: 0163-6804
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