The Sticky-Pad Plane and other Innovative Concepts for Perching UAVs

A primary limiting factor in the design and operation of small, Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) is energy. Current models have unsatisfactory range and endurance, and other enhanced capabilities must be omitted from their design because there is not sufficient energy to power them. One proposed solution to this energy problem is to imitate birds by “perching”, a definition which was broadly stated as any low-energy-expenditure state in which Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) could be conducted. Over onehundred innovative perching UAV concepts were generated and assessed for feasibility and potential mission enhancement. The most promising concepts were further analyzed and prototyped. Among those, the Sticky-Pad Plane was the most successful and was prototyped at the alpha and beta levels. It is able to attach to vertical surfaces from straight and level flight, reposition to conduct ISR, then detach from the wall and re-launch into flight without any additional power requirements. The Sticky-Pad Plane is a robust design that is adaptable to a wide range of aircraft configurations and is capable of perching multiple times in different locations during a given mission. The Sticky-Pad Plane has been successfully demonstrated on three separate aircraft, and it has the potential to increase the duration of ISR missions by an order of magnitude or more.