Project number
18057
Organization
Raytheon Missile Systems
Academic year
2018-2019
There is currently no safe method for recovering a small fixed-wing unmanned aircraft while at sea on smaller naval vessels. The team created a system, deployable from small watercraft, that can capture a fixed-wing unmanned aircraft without the use of landing gear. The system is easily stowed and deployed, and able to weather the wide range of operating conditions typical of a maritime environment. The design uses a structural frame with nylon netting to safely arrest drones that fly into the netting.
A frictional braking system attached to the net dissipates momentum to minimize potential damage to the drone. The system also includes lighting that allows unmanned aircraft pilots to detect and align with the capture net during night operations. A three-man crew can erect or stow the system in 15 minutes. The system was tested against International Organization for Standardization and military standards to ensure it met all of its requirements and could survive a wide range of operating environments.
A frictional braking system attached to the net dissipates momentum to minimize potential damage to the drone. The system also includes lighting that allows unmanned aircraft pilots to detect and align with the capture net during night operations. A three-man crew can erect or stow the system in 15 minutes. The system was tested against International Organization for Standardization and military standards to ensure it met all of its requirements and could survive a wide range of operating environments.