US 11,912,435 B2
Air vehicle system
Danny Abramov, Shoham (IL); Artem Korobkov, Ganei Tikva (IL); and Ron Bublitsky, Haifa (IL)
Assigned to ISRAEL AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES LTD., Lod (IL)
Appl. No. 17/623,492
Filed by ISRAEL AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES LTD., Lod (IL)
PCT Filed Jul. 6, 2020, PCT No. PCT/IL2020/050755
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 28, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/005595, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 14, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 267971 (IL), filed on Jul. 10, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0355932 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. B64C 37/02 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64C 39/08 (2006.01); B64C 39/12 (2006.01); B64D 3/00 (2006.01); B64D 5/00 (2006.01); B64U 10/25 (2023.01); B64U 30/10 (2023.01)
CPC B64D 5/00 (2013.01) [B64C 37/02 (2013.01); B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64C 39/08 (2013.01); B64C 39/12 (2013.01); B64D 3/00 (2013.01); B64C 2211/00 (2013.01); B64U 10/25 (2023.01); B64U 30/10 (2023.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A composite air vehicle system, comprising:
a first air vehicle capable of independent aerodynamic flight;
a second air vehicle capable of independent aerodynamic flight; and
at least one connector element configured for reversibly interconnecting the first air vehicle and the second air vehicle in tandem arrangement to provide a composite air vehicle capable of aerodynamic flight, wherein said connector element comprises a connector strut having a first end and a second end spaced from one another, and wherein the first end is configured for being reversibly affixed with respect to a dorsal part of the first air vehicle and wherein the second end is configured for being reversibly affixed with respect to a lower belly part of the second air vehicle;
wherein the composite air vehicle system is configured for enabling at least in-flight separation of the composite air vehicle into said first air vehicle and second air vehicle, and for enabling each one of said first air vehicle and said second air vehicle to operate independently of one another; and
wherein the first air vehicle and the second air vehicle are each configured to generate aerodynamic lift at least in straight and level flight at least when interconnected to provide the composite air vehicle, to thereby provide aerodynamic lift to the composite air vehicle sufficient to thereby enable said aerodynamic flight of the composite air vehicle.