7768results about "Launching weapons" patented technology

Rifle (1) comprises barrel (2) and loading means (15) for introducing a projectile from magazine (7) into breech (4). The projectile is propelled by a compressed gas propellant initially stored as a liquid in canister (10). The liquid is heated to a super critical state in chamber (8) by heating element (12) to induce a phase change such that the liquid becomes a highly dense gas. The phase change from liquid to gas provides the energy required to expel the projectile at high velocity from rifle (1), regardless of the ambient temperature. The propellant is preferably CO2 which is heated to 31.06° C. Rifle (1) produces minimal noise and no heat signature, making it suitable for military and stealth purposes. A pistol and launchers for grenades or mortar bombs are also disclosed. Another version can launch low earth orbit satellites or payloads.

A system comprise a server configured to communicate vehicle information with a vehicle transceiver of a vehicle moving along a vehicle route and communicate drone information with a drone transceiver of a drone moving along a drone route. A computing device with a memory and a processor may be configured to communicatively connect with the server, process the vehicle information and the drone information, identify a plurality of pickup locations based in part on the vehicle information and drone information, select at least one of the plurality of pickup locations based in part on a priority score associated with a travel time to or wait time for each of the plurality of pickup locations, and update the drone route based in part on the selected pickup location.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for making partial deliveries of cargo provisions includes a UAV having one or more ducted fans and a structural interconnect connecting the one or more fans to a cargo pod. The cargo pod has an outer aerodynamic shell and one or more internal drive systems for modifying a relative position of one or more cargo provisions contained within the cargo pod. Control logic is configured to, after delivery of a partial portion of the cargo provisions contained within the cargo pod, vary a position of at least a portion of the remaining cargo provisions to maintain a substantially same center of gravity of the UAV relative to a center of gravity prior to delivery of the partial portion. Other center of gravity compensation mechanisms may also be controlled by the control logic to aid in maintaining the center of gravity of the UAV.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) delivery apparatus is provided. The UAV delivery apparatus may include at least a pole and a landing platform. The pole of the present invention may have an extended length with a bottom end and a top end. The bottom end is securable to a surface to support the pole in an upright position. The landing pad of the present invention is attached to the top end of the pole and includes a substantially flat upper surface. The upper surface is sized to receive a package from a UAV.

Methods and associated systems for autonomous package delivery utilize a UAS / UAV, an infrared positioning senor, and a docking station integrated with a package delivery vehicle. The UAS / UAV accepts a package for delivery from the docking station on the delivery vehicle and uploads the delivery destination. The UAS / UAV autonomously launches from its docked position on the delivery vehicle. The UAS / UAV autonomously flies to the delivery destination by means of GPS navigation. The UAS / UAV is guided in final delivery by means of a human supervised live video feed from the UAS / UAV. The UAS / UAV is assisted in the descent and delivery of the parcel by precision sensors and if necessary by means of remote human control. The UAS / UAV autonomously returns to the delivery vehicle by means of GPS navigation and precision sensors. The UAS / UAV autonomously docks with the delivery vehicle for recharging and preparation for the next delivery sequence.

An intercept device for flying objects made of a light-weight, packable structure made of a pliable, tear resistant material that can be expanded to a large web-like structure by means of a deployment device, into the path of a flying weapon. To capture, hold and reduce the velocity of intercepted flying objects, activatable resistance bodies are incorporated into uniformly distributed masses that are connected to the perimeter of the web like structure. Contractable sections of the web, made of cable-like structures, connected to perimeter masses, act as drawstrings upon collision with flying object. This causes closure of the web around the flying object as a result of the mass's inertia and added resistance from deployable resistance structures that place tension on drawstring structures of the web. The flying object is subsequently captured within the web, held secure and it's velocity rapidly reduced.

Systems and methods include UAVs that serve to assist carrier personnel by reducing the physical demands of the transportation and delivery process. A UAV generally includes a UAV chassis including an upper portion, a plurality of propulsion members configured to provide lift to the UAV chassis, and a parcel carrier configured for being selectively coupled to and removed from the UAV chassis. UAV support mechanisms are utilized to load and unload parcel carriers to the UAV chassis, and the UAV lands on and takes off from the UAV support mechanism to deliver parcels to a serviceable point. The UAV includes computing entities that interface with different systems and computing entities to send and receive various types of information.

A system and method for enhancing distribution logistics and surveillance ranges with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and at least one dock in a dock network. The UAV remains in communication with the dock for enhancing distribution logistics of at least one package and increasing the range of surveillance for the unmanned aerial vehicle. From the dock, the UAV delivers the package to a destination point, obtains the package from a pick up point, recharges the unmanned aerial vehicle throughout the network of docks, and increases the range of distribution and surveillance. A logistics software controls the delivery and surveillance. A wireless communication device enables communication between the UAV and the dock. Light indicators indicate status of the package and the operational status of the UAV. A camera captures an image of the package in the dock. A motion detector detects the UAV for regulating access for loading / unloading and docking.

An unmanned aerial vehicle delivery system utilizes an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to deliver packages between an initiation point and multiple delivery points at a raised elevation. The UAV flies between points in an organized manner, using logistical, maintenance and safety software, commands from a delivery organization, and guidance tools to coordinate deliveries. One advantage of the system is that the UAV engages the delivery points at a raised elevation, rather than the ground level. The UAV docks through an elevated structure at the delivery point for delivering the package and replenishing a power source. The package is conveyed from a docking end and through a central shaft of the elevated structure by means of an elevator. The package then travels to a lower structure, such as a house or office, for pickup. After completion of the delivery, the UAV replenishes its power source and / or continues on the delivery route.

Modern farming is currently being done by powerful ground equipment or aircraft that weigh several tons and treat uniformly tens of hectares per hour. Automated farming can use small, agile, lightweight, energy-efficient automated robotic equipment that flies to do the same job, even able to farm on a plant-by-plant basis, allowing for new ways of farming. A hybrid airship-drone has both passive lift provided by a gas balloon and active lift provided by propellers. A hybrid airship-drone may be cheaper, more stable in flight, and require less maintenance than other aerial vehicles such as quadrocopters. However, hybrid airship-drones may also be larger in size and have more inertia that needs to be overcome for starting, stopping and turning.

An aircraft cargo locating system determines the location and weight of aircraft cargo placed in unit loading devices. A wireless tag, such as an Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag is affixed to each of the loading devices. The system receives information from the tags, and from the information calculates the location of the loading devices and the weight of the loading devices. The system is able to calculate weight and balance parameters to assist in the loading process.

A rapid feed paintball loader for use upon a conventional paintball gun. The rapid feed paintball loader includes a container for holding a plurality of paintballs. At a bottom portion of the container is a rotatable drive cone having a plurality of vertical fins. Each fin spirals outwardly from a center axis of the drive cone. In addition, each fin forms a gap with an adjacent fin large enough to accommodate a paintball. At the bottom of the container is an exit tube which exits from the bottom portion of the container and leads to an inlet tube of the paintball gun. A portion of the exit tube is sloped at an angle equivalent to the slope of a top surface of the drive cone. A catch arm is mounted on an interior surface of the container adjacent to the sloped exit portion of the exit tube. The catch arm is mounted at a height which is above the top surface of the fins, and which is approximately equal to the radius of a paintball. During the operation of the paintball loader, a plurality of paintballs are placed in the interior space of the container. The paintballs fall into the gaps of the drive cone. The rotating drive cone pushes the paintballs toward the first opening. The catch arm then forces the paintball located in the gap into the exit tube for delivery to the paintball gun.

An assembly for modifying an automatic firearm such as a carbine rifle to relocate operation of the firearm charge handle. The assembly includes a fore-grip bracket, a drive rod movable in the foregrip bracket and attached to the charging handle release lever, and a cocking handle attached to the drive rod, the rod being attached to the charge handle for alternately releasing and latching the charge handle for clearing the firearm. In one embodiment, the foregrip bracket is attached to a removable rail attached to the foregrip by a jaw type device. Another embodiment attaches to the foregrip by attaching the foregrip bracket by screws. Another embodiment attaches to a foregrip having no rail by means of a groove cut in the grip, having a pair of spaced apertures into which hooks of foregrip mount, the bracket being held in place by a rod receiver and rotatable latch.

A gas operated action for auto-loading guns may comprise a receiver, a biasing spring, a bolt-carrier reciprocable within the receiver, a bolt having a cam pin, and an action rod fixedly attached to the receiver. The cam pin may engage the action rod during recoil travel of the bolt and bolt-carrier, thereby preventing rotation of the bolt when the cam pin is engaged with the action rod.

A sling load computer-operated hook assembly for helicopter or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) use is provided. The hook assembly allows automated pick-up and delivery. The computer hook assembly also (1) directs navigation of the aircraft, (2) finds and engages loads for pickup, (3) controls stability of the sling load enroute, and (4) releases the load at the delivery point. The self-contained feature allows the hook assembly to be moved from aircraft to aircraft. The hook assembly senses weight, motion and position of the load for stability control. An integral GPS unit is used to direct navigation. These data are transmitted to the aircraft autopilot and flight director instruments to provide navigation to the designated points and to control load stability enroute. Mission data for pick-up and release points can be received remotely from a command and control tactical data net. Alternately, mission data can be locally entered.

A tethered unmanned aerial vehicle firefighting system includes a firefighting drone, a lifting drone and a tether line coupling the firefighting drone to a control station through the lifting drone. The control station includes a control unit for controlling the firefighting drone and the lifting drone, a fire retardant supply, a pump coupled to the fire retardant supply, and a power supply. The tether line includes a power line coupling the power source to and powering the firefighting drone and a fire retardant hose coupled between the pump and a nozzle carried by the firefighting drone. A lifting tower hold the tether from the control station at a height above ground level, and the lifting drone maintains the tether above obstruction for the firefighter drone. The firefighter drone disperses fire retardant from the nozzle for firefighting purposes and with a substantially unlimited supply of retardant and power.

A disclosed flying craft includes a suspension structure having a first end and a second end, a lift unit, and a payload unit. The lift unit includes a nacelle and a tailboom, and pivotally couples to the first end of the suspension structure, and a payload unit couples to the structure's second end. Thus the tailboom can pivotally couple with respect to the payload unit, which advantageously permits the tailboom to assume an orientation desirable for a particular mode of flight. During vertical flight or hover, the tailboom can hang from the lift unit in an orientation that is substantially parallel to the suspension structure and that minimizes resistance to downwash from the lift unit. During horizontal flight, the tailboom can be orthogonal to the suspension structure, extending rearward in an orientation where it can develop pitching and yawing moments to control and stabilize horizontal flight. Advantageous variations and methods are also disclosed.

A remotely controlled flying apparatus (200) utilized for crop-spraying and crop monitoring purposes is disclosed. The present indention comprises a microcontroller (110) electronically coupled to an inertia measuring means (120). A controller (140) is connected to a computer (130) to allow a user to control movements of the flying apparatus (200). The computer (130) interprets control motions of the controller (140) and translates the motions to control signals. Upon translation, control signals are sent to the microcontroller (110) wirelessly and the control signals are modulated by a pulse modulation generator (150) before they are sent to a plurality of speed controllers (160a-160d) which are coupled to a plurality of motors (170a-! 70d). The controller (140) allows the user to control the motions of the flying apparatus remote! }, by changing respective rotational speeds of the plurality of motors (170a-170d). The controller (140) also allows the user to wirelessly control a pump (180) or a camera (190) or both through the computer (130) for spraying a pesticide or fertilizer fluid—when necessary or for crop monitoring purposes.

The invention relates to a paintgun having a barrel assembly with a barrel and a firing mechanism for paintballs; a trigger assembly connected with the barrel assembly for actuating the firing mechanism; and a revolving disc for feeding paintballs interposed between the barrel and the firing mechanism; a series of uniformly spaced paintball holes being formed at the rim of the revolving disc that is rotatable by a driving apparatus to bring the paintballs within the paintball holes to a discharge area coaxial to the barrel for discharging the paintballs; and a paintball adjacent to the revolving disc and the firing mechanism within the barrel assembly being provided for storing the paintballs disposed. Meanwhile, the paintball container includes a guiding slope for directing the paintballs into the paintball holes. The revolving disc with the paintballs is rotatable one after another to the discharge area.

The invention provides an automatic control system for variable pesticide spraying of a rice unmanned aerial vehicle based on image processing. The automatic control system comprises a field information acquiring module, an information processing module, an information management decision-making module and an unmanned aerial vehicle variable spraying control module. The automatic control system and the automatic control method for variable pesticide spraying of the rice unmanned aerial vehicle based on image processing can set different dose prescription values according to disaster severity degrees of different plots so as to achieve better pest control effect, reduces agricultural cost and reduces dose. By combining the unmanned aerial vehicle pesticide spraying with a variable pesticide spraying technology, the pesticides are sprayed according to the practical damage condition changes of crops, so that the operation efficiency is improved, the dose of pesticides is reduced, the environmental pollution is relieved, the crop growth is facilitated, and the visual operation is realized by virtue of a real-time monitoring and display system.

A weapon system for urban combat incorporating an automatic gun having a short recoil, a feed system with gun driven box magazines of different capacities, a detachable link-belt feed, spring buffered barrel and bolt recoil absorbing arrangement, and simplified fire control.

An in-flight refueling system, alignment system, and method are provided for substantially automating the positioning and engagement of an in-flight refueling system carried by a first aircraft with respect to a refueling receptacle carried by a second aircraft so as to facilitate an in-flight refueling operation between the first and the second aircraft. More specifically, the present invention provides for the alignment of the in-flight refueling boom with the refueling receptacle such that an extendable nozzle may extend from the in-flight refueling boom and engage the refueling receptacle to initiate an in-flight refueling operation.

The present invention is directed to a ball feed mechanism for use in a paintball loader. The ball feed mechanism includes a feeder which conveys or impels balls toward a feed neck, and a drive member which is concentric with the impeller. The feeder is coupled to the drive member through a spring. The spring is configured to store potential energy which is used to rotate the feeder and, thus, drive the balls toward the feed neck. An electric motor is used to rotate the drive member to wind the spring. The feed mechanism includes sensors which detect the motion of the feeder and the drive member. A controller determines the spring tension based on the relative motion of the feeder and drive member, and actuates a motor when necessary.

A system and method for automatic weapon allocation and scheduling of the present invention. The inventive method includes the steps of providing data with respect to threats, weapons, weapon allocation options; weapon allocation rules; and temporally dependent constraints with respect thereto; evaluating the data; and temporally allocating the weapons to the threats automatically in accordance with the evaluation. The invention computes the optimal pairing and the best time to deploy each weapon system against threat(s) it is paired with in arriving at the pairing. This results in an optimal assignment where weapon resource constraints are not exceeded and therefore guarantee availability of sufficient resources for engagement of every threat that is paired with a weapon system.