LAR-DH UAV Recovery.
Makes Every Ship a 'MALE UAVs Carrier'.

The design goal is to cover whole launch and recovery sequence of larger fixed wing UAVs, to MALE size, on all types of sea vessels, emphasizing safety-securing of UAVs all along on-ship operations. This is made possible by the inherent cable-pull. It covers both aerial pre-recovery maneuvering, the haul-down phase, and post-recovery on-deck moving of the landed UAV - in safety, by computer control, etc. See listing of the method's concept advantages.

Our method is defined as 'Universal Cable-Assisted Point-Recovery Method for Fixed-Wing UAVs onto Ships and Land'. As the definition suggests, a cable is used to haul-to-a-point the recovered air-vehicle [or object]. This mechanically simple principle provides the real point-accuracy - the said cable pulls the UAV/object direct to its outlet. The difficulty is to have the cable connected at both ends, which is addressed and solved by our equipment and detailed flight sequence we design.

The arena of operation at sea has always needed long-enduring aerial surveillance, but this was offered only by large shore-base craft (Catalina, P-3, Atlantique, BAMS) or by aircraft carriers, these becoming scarce, most countries not having even one. All combatants in the arena would benefit from overhead AEW for missile defense, Over The Horizon targeting, and in-Shore targeting. In folded form and size most Fixed-Wing UAVs resemble shipboard missiles in their canisters, thus paving a way to build dedicated shipboard Fixed-Wing UAVs. The only missing link is a method to safely recover those UAVs from the air after a long mission. Our method can achieve just that, so establishing a universal solution and marrying UAVs to ships can start a new family.

Our method can enhance the safety in the recovery of existing land-based systems by its positive-haul-down characteristic. The UAV is accurately forced down by the cable onto its existing landing gear or new cushioning such as a wire-bed or an inflated air cushion. The method uses slow and accurate approach and avoids interference by trees, rocks, bushes or water bodies, regardless of the wind strength and direction changes during the landing procedure. This can virtually eliminate damages to under-belly payloads and UAV systems, even during hard landings.

Our method offers a cable-assisted solution for point-accurate cargo delivery. The solution is insensitive to strong winds and ensures 'Always into the right hands' delivery, as it pulls the load exactly to the center of the drop target ('T'). The only equipment required at the remote unit's site is an improvised 'laundry wire' stretched between two trees, two trucks or two APCs, etc.