A motor assembly is provided for use with projectiles, such as munitions, having relatively low length to diameter ratios. The motor assembly has an aerospike nozzle and a casing disposed about the aerospike nozzle, where interior aerospike volume contains propellant and where walls of both the cowl of the casing and of the aerospike nozzle jointly define a combustion chamber.

Embodiments include active protection systems and methods for an aerial platform. An onboard system includes one or more radar modules, detects aerial vehicles within a threat range of the aerial platform, and determines if any of the plurality of aerial vehicles are an aerial threat. The onboard system also determines an intercept vector to the aerial threat, communicates the intercept vector to an eject vehicle, and causes the eject vehicle to be ejected from the aerial platform to intercept the aerial threat. The eject vehicle includes a rocket motor to accelerate the eject vehicle along an intercept vector, alignment thrusters to rotate a longitudinal axis of the eject vehicle to substantially align with the intercept vector, and divert thrusters to divert the eject vehicle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the intercept vector. The eject vehicle activates at least one of the alignment thrusters responsive to the intercept vector.

The present invention relates to a drone for collecting and providing image data for bomb damage assessment and an air-to-ground weapon system equipped with the drone. The air-to-ground weapon system includes: a hitting means moving to a bombardment target to hit the bombardment target; and a drone detachably attached to the hitting means.

A airborne vehicle comprising a fuselage, a folding wing-like structure which is movable from a stowed position to a deployed position, and a hinge mechanism which couples the folding wing-like structure to the fuselage in a manner so that the folding wing-like structure displaces and rotates during movement from the stowed position to the deployed position. The hinge mechanism is housed within an outer mold line of the fuselage and folding wing-like structure to decrease the signature of the airborne vehicle.

The present specification relates generally to unmanned aerial vehicles, and specifically to a vertical take-off and lift unmanned aerial vehicle configured for high speed, long-distance flight, and vertical take-off and lift, while carrying a significant payload. The aerial vehicle includes a first propeller and a second propeller, each comprising at least two blades and each disposed on opposite lateral edges of the aerial vehicle; a tail segment forming a trailing edge of the aerial vehicle, wherein the tail segment comprises: an elevator; and a first wing and a second wing, each comprising an aileron. The aerial vehicle further includes four fins, wherein the four fins are affixed to lateral edges behind the first propeller or the second propeller and configured as endplates; a motor; and a power supply.

Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, device, manufacture, circuit, composition of matter, and/or user interface adapted for and/or resulting from, and/or a method and/or machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise and/or relate to, providing a guided descent from a release zone and toward an entry zone.

A rocket which can be propelled spirally from a rifling-free launcher tube without backblast includes a warhead, a rocket body, and a rocket motor including: an outer casing whose bottom has inclined propulsion-gas outlet holes; a first supporting member coupled to the outer casing; a first bullet on the first supporting member; a connecting member with first and second connecting portions, the first connecting portion connected to the first bullet; an inner casing in the outer casing; a second supporting member coupled to the inner casing and the second connecting portion and having a shielding portion; a metal plate in the second supporting member, with a through hole shielded by the shielding portion; an elastic member on the metal plate; a second bullet on the second supporting member, abutting against the elastic member; and a plastic cover covering the second bullet to form a gunpowder chamber in the inner casing.

A motor assembly is provided for use with projectiles, such as munitions, having relatively low length to diameter ratios. The motor assembly has an aerospike nozzle and a casing disposed about the aerospike nozzle, where interior aerospike volume contains propellant and where walls of both the cowl of the casing and of the aerospike nozzle jointly define a combustion chamber.

An increased range guided projectile includes overcaliber lateral moment reducing wings (10) that can be deployed. The lateral moment reducing wings (10) are designed and arranged behind the center of gravity (S) in the tail direction on the guided projectile (1) so that the pitching moment derivative coefficient (C.sub.m) of the guided projectile (1) is in the range of 0.5, if the guided projectile (1) has a speed that is in the speed range of Mach 0.4 to 0.8; the lateral moment reducing wings (10) are in their deployed position; and, the canard guide device (20) does not exert any guiding moments.

Embodiments include active protection systems and methods for an aerial platform. An onboard system includes radar modules, detects aerial vehicles within a threat range of the aerial platform, and determines if any of the aerial vehicles are an aerial threat. The onboard system also determines an intercept vector to the aerial threat, communicates the intercept vector to an eject vehicle, and causes the eject vehicle to be ejected from the aerial platform to intercept the aerial threat. The eject vehicle includes alignment thrusters to rotate a longitudinal axis of the eject vehicle to substantially align with the intercept vector, a rocket motor to accelerate the eject vehicle along an intercept vector, divert thrusters to divert the eject vehicle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the intercept vector, and attitude control thrusters to make adjustments to the attitude of the eject vehicle.