Patents by Inventor Ralph C. Starace

Ralph C. Starace has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10287013
    Abstract: One example embodiment includes a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The VTOL UAV includes a flight control system configured to provide avionic control of the VTOL UAV in a hover mode and in a level-flight mode. The VTOL UAV also includes a body encapsulating an engine and the flight control system. The VTOL UAV further includes a rotor disk coupled to the engine and configured to provide vertical thrust and cyclic pitch control in the hover mode and to provide horizontal thrust for flight during the level-flight mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ralph C. Starace, Robert A. August, Douglas L. Fronius, Francois Creasman
  • Publication number: 20170233070
    Abstract: One example embodiment includes a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The VTOL UAV includes a flight control system configured to provide avionic control of the VTOL UAV in a hover mode and in a level-flight mode. The VTOL UAV also includes a body encapsulating an engine and the flight control system. The VTOL UAV further includes a rotor disk coupled to the engine and configured to provide vertical thrust and cyclic pitch control in the hover mode and to provide horizontal thrust for flight during the level-flight mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: RALPH C. STARACE, ROBERT A. AUGUST, DOUGLAS L. FRONIUS, FRANCOIS CREASMAN
  • Patent number: 5458041
    Abstract: An air defense missile weapon system in which a plurality of unmanned missiles penetrate, survey, identify, attack and destroy target areas that include air defense sites and sites of military interest. Each of the missiles has an airframe, sensors, data links, propulsion means, and a plurality of control surfaces. The missiles are launched from a carrier aircraft towards the target sites from a stand-off range. The missiles preferably operate in cooperative teams of hunter and killer missiles, and are interoperable with a plurality of military aircraft and other existing weapon systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1995
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: John Sun, Ross J. Sanders, Ralph C. Starace, William K. Hackman