A new defense startup has invented a drone recover and launch system that uses vertically mounted pins to trap and release unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The system, which looks like a medieval torture device, can nab a drone from a moving platform and send it back out again—all without involving a person.
The Talon device, developed by Target Arm, solves the problem of having to stop a vehicle in order to launch or deploy a fixed wing drone or quadcopter. The operator flies the drone into an enclosure, where upward and downward facing pins automatically pin the drone in place, creating a jail the drone can’t escape. To launch the drone, the operator need only power it up and release the pins. Launching drones from moving vehicles has the added benefit of getting them up to takeoff speed.
Aviation Week & Space Technology, in a profile of the Talon system, says it can capture almost every drone, with the exception of drones with nose-mounted propellers. It can be adapted to land vehicles, ships, at sea, aircraft, and even undersea vehicles. The company even has a concept for using it in space.
The system works by applying a very light touch to the pins—just a fifth of an ounce of pressure. Overall, all the trapping pins apply just a pound of pressure to hold the drone in place. That’s not enough to damage the drone but it is enough to bring it to a full stop. Target Arm says Talon can be bolted onto almost any existing platform to provide a mobile UAV pit stop.
A launch/recovery system like Talon would be useful in the military as a means of operating drones under enemy fire. Talon’s ability to operate from a moving vehicle means units can utilize drones for scouting missions without stopping to operate them, preserving their momentum in battle.
The company will demonstrate Talon to the U.S. Army on Oct. 20 at Fort Benning’s Maneuver Center of Excellence.
popularmechanics.com