US 12,129,011 B2
Armed unmanned aerial vehicle and methods of use thereof
Michael Creagh, Queensland (AU)
Assigned to Skyborne Technologies Pty. Ltd., Queensland (AU)
Appl. No. 17/637,243
Filed by Skyborne Technologies Pty. Ltd., Queensland (AU)
PCT Filed Sep. 7, 2020, PCT No. PCT/AU2020/050942
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 22, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/046592, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 18, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2019903381 (AU), filed on Sep. 11, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0340275 A1, Oct. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. B64C 27/22 (2006.01); B64D 7/00 (2006.01); B64U 101/15 (2023.01); F41G 3/22 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2024.01)
CPC B64C 27/22 (2013.01) [B64D 7/00 (2013.01); F41G 3/22 (2013.01); G05D 1/0016 (2013.01); G05D 1/0022 (2013.01); G05D 1/0094 (2013.01); B64U 2101/15 (2023.01); B64U 2201/20 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An armed unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) comprising:
an elongate central body having a nose and an opposed tail aligned along a longitudinal axis;
a pair of opposed side rotor arm assemblies respectively extending from opposite sides of the central body about a pitch axis, each side rotor arm assembly being selectively rotatable relative to the central body about the pitch axis;
a tail rotor arm assembly extending from the tail of the central body along the longitudinal axis;
a weapons system comprising at least one projectile associated with the central body; and
a flight and targeting controller operatively associated with the side rotor arm assemblies and the tail rotor arm assembly, said controller configured to:
responsive to receiving target information about a target, determine at least a pitch angle and a yaw angle required to strike the target with the weapons system; and
selectively control operation of each said rotor arm assembly for aiming the weapons system, based on at least the pitch angle and the yaw angle determined.