US 12,391,413 B2
Systems and methods for airborne recovery and launch of aerial vehicles
Michael Joseph Allwein, San Luis Obispo, CA (US); Roy Hultenius, Encinitas, CA (US); James William Groves, La Mesa, CA (US); Arthur Siemens, San Diego, CA (US); Sebastian Kaser, San Diego, CA (US); Elijah Abelovski, Escondido, CA (US); and Celestino Morales, San Diego, CA (US)
Assigned to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 11, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/350,648.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/388,931, filed on Jul. 13, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0017857 A1, Jan. 18, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B64U 70/20 (2023.01); B64D 3/00 (2006.01); B64U 10/25 (2023.01)
CPC B64U 70/20 (2023.01) [B64D 3/00 (2013.01); B64U 10/25 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A recovery and deployment pylon for recovering and relaunching a target aircraft, the pylon comprising:
a housing configured to be coupled with a host aircraft;
a motorized winch within the housing;
a towline coupled with the motorized winch and configured to be selectively paid out and reeled in using the motorized winch;
a plurality of fleet pulleys supported within the housing, wherein the towline extends from the motorized winch through the plurality of fleet pulleys;
a fitting coupled with the towline, the fitting having a width that is larger than a width of the towline; and
a first latching mechanism configured to selectively engage with a first lug of the target aircraft when the target aircraft is in a first position relative to the recovery and deployment pylon,
wherein the motorized winch further comprises a cartridge through which the towline extends, and
wherein the cartridge is movable along an axle such that a portion of the towline between the motorized winch and the plurality of fleet pulleys may sweep a total angle of up to thirty degrees.