A vehicle arresting system includes a base layer comprising a crushable aggregate and a cover layer comprising a cementitious material having an oven-dry density of 100 lb/ft3 or less. The system also may include an arrestor bed and a plurality of anchors. Each anchor includes a support rod coupled to an associated puck, each support rod being secured to a foundation that supports the arrestor bed, and each puck being embedded in the cover layer slab of the arrestor bed. Additionally, each support rod is coupled to its associated puck via a shear link breakable at a predetermined load.

A support structure, including an excavation and a plurality of irregularly shaped foamed glass bodies at least partially filing the excavation. Each respective irregularly shaped foamed glass body has an aspect ratio of about 1:1.7 and a diameter of about 1 inch. The irregularly shaped foamed glass bodies intersect to define stacking angles of at least about 35 degrees. Under compression, the irregularly shaped foamed glass bodies crush and break up before slip failure occurs such that the roadbed has a crushing failure mode.

A method for establishing a runway safety area adjacent a runway, wherein the runway safety area is a cement matrix having a plurality of foamed glass aggregate bodies suspended therein, including mixing cement and foamed glass aggregate bodies to define a composite material, forming the composite material into a runway safety area defining a plurality of foamed glass aggregate bodies suspended in a cement matrix, taxiing an aircraft over the runway safety area and crushing at least a portion of the runway safety area with the aircraft to bleed off the aircraft's kinetic energy, wherein the runway safety area has a crushing failure mode.

Systems, devices, and methods for impacting, by a small unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV), a net having at least three sides; and converting the kinetic energy of the SUAV into at least one of: elastic potential energy of one or more tensioned elastic cords connected to at least one corner of the net, gravitational potential energy of a frame member connected to at least one corner of the net, rotational kinetic energy of the frame member connected to at least one corner of the net, and elastic potential energy of the frame member connected to at least one corner of the net.

This invention relates to a vehicle arresting system comprising an arrestor-bed 1, of a compactible foam material having a bulk compressive strength and a longitudinal centre axis A-A extending from a front end to a back end opposite the front end, wherein the arrestor-bed comprises a set of linear zones having a compressive strength lower than the bulk compressive strength extending in parallel with the longitudinal centre axis of the bed, and/or are angled with an angle ?, where 0?<?<45?, towards the longitudinal centre axis of the arrestor-bed.

A vehicle arresting system includes a base layer comprising a crushable aggregate and a cover layer comprising a cementitious material having an oven-dry density of 100 lb/ft3 or less. The system also may include an arrestor bed and a plurality of anchors. Each anchor includes a support rod coupled to an associated puck, each support rod being secured to a foundation that supports the arrestor bed, and each puck being embedded in the cover layer slab of the arrestor bed. Additionally, each support rod is coupled to its associated puck via a shear link breakable at a predetermined load.

Systems, devices, and methods for impacting, by a small unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV), a net having at least three sides; and converting the kinetic energy of the SUAV into at least one of: elastic potential energy of one or more tensioned elastic cords connected to at least one corner of the net, gravitational potential energy of a frame member connected to at least one corner of the net, rotational kinetic energy of the frame member connected to at least one corner of the net, and elastic potential energy of the frame member connected to at least one corner of the net.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform includes a stationary base constructed and arranged to reside over a fixed location on a surface (e.g., a ground location, a ship's deck, a trailer or other vehicle, etc.). The UAV platform further includes a set of UAV interfaces constructed and arranged to interface directly with a UAV (e.g., a launcher, a net apparatus, etc.). The UAV platform further includes a turntable assembly which couples to the stationary base. The turntable assembly is constructed and arranged to couple to each UAV interface and control angular direction of that UAV interface over the fixed location. A method of operating a UAV platform includes deploying the UAV platform over a fixed location, preparing a UAV interface on a turntable assembly of the UAV platform, and rotating the turntable to control angular direction of the UAV interface over the fixed location.

A UAV capture system including a cable array comprising at least two laterally-spaced cables carried by a first cable support structure. Catches disposed on respective port and starboard wings of a UAV are positioned to engage the cables when the UAV flies into them. A payout device pays out the engaged cables after they have been engaged by the UAV and a brake decelerates the UAV by resisting the pay out of the cables.

The present disclosure relates to a launch system and method. The launch system and method can include at least a preliminary accelerator tube system (PAT) that can be combined with a main accelerator tube system (MAT). The PAT alone or combined with the MAT can be used for launch of a vehicle for testing and/or for delivery of a payload.