Shipboard UAV Chariot Launch and Recovery System (CLRS)

The Navy is interested in novel approaches to Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Air Launch & Recovery Equipment (ALRE) that minimize required deck landing area & footprint on ships.  With the trend towards smaller ships and decentralized UAV assets, each ship having its own organic capability becomes crucial.  Current methods for launching and recovering Group 3-5 UAV systems are bulky and cumbersome, occupying valuable space on Navy ships.  Also, there are no generic or universal launch or assist vehicles for UAVs, although some companies have developed proprietary solutions specific to their own aircraft. SpyDar Sensors, Inc. is proposing a unique total systems approach that includes an innovative platform, flight control, launch, and recovery techniques as part of our concept.  This launch and recovery system will be UAV platform “agnostic” and is being designed to vertically lift, launch, recover, and land a wide range of normally horizontally-launched Group 3-5 UAVs ranging from 500 to 10,000 pounds.  Our revolutionary detachable two-stage VTOL launch and recovery system is called the Chariot Launch and Recovery System (CLRS), that vertically launches and recovers Navy shipboard UAVs in mid-air.  After a CLRS vertical launch the UAV starts its engines for horizontal flight, separates from the CLRS, and proceeds with its mission.  SpyDar’s system enables Navy UAVs to save fuel for the mission itself by using a separate launch vehicle stage, thus enabling it to carry heavier payloads and/or achieve longer flight endurance.  Additionally, upon UAV return the CLRS intercepts, mates, and recovers the UAV for a VTOL landing.  Furthermore, a runway or fixed launch & recovery system is not required for take-off or landing. Further, since we are performing UAV mid-air capture & recovery while in flight and not arresting UAVs landing on the ship deck at high airspeeds, our proposed approach has no acceleration or deceleration issues, nor would require a UAV “stall” maneuver before landing, minimizing ship deck safety concerns.  The “mated” system would takeoff in a smooth, progressive rate of increased altitude & airspeed for a climb or reduced altitude & slowing speed for a descent; the landing termination will be to a specific point on the ship deck, very similar to a helicopter with no forward airspeed or lateral movement.  Both launch and recovery would be done autonomously.  Our CLRS solution and a limited performance proof-of-concept unit will be demonstrated at the conclusion of Phase I.