摘要:
Disclosed herein is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft having three lifting surfaces and separate lift and cruise systems. The VTOL aircraft may include a fuselage having a roll axis, a thrust rotor to produce a propulsion thrust, first and second rotor booms, first and second canard surfaces, first and second wing surfaces, first and second tail surfaces, and a plurality of lift rotors to produce a lifting thrust force. The plurality of lift rotors includes a first plurality of lift rotors positioned on the first rotor boom and a second plurality of lift rotors positioned on the second rotor boom. The first and second rotor booms may be substantially parallel to the roll axis of the fuselage, where the fuselage is positioned between the first and second rotor booms. Each of the first and second rotor booms may be secured to the aircraft at three locations.
摘要:
An aircraft includes a wing which is configured to provide lift during a wing-borne mode of flight and a stoppable rotor which includes a first blade and a second blade. The stoppable rotor is configured to rotate about a vertical axis of rotation during a hover mode of flight and stop with the first blade pointing forward and the second blade pointing backward at least some of the time during the wing-borne mode of flight. The aircraft also includes a combination rotor which rotates about a longitudinal axis of rotation in a first direction at least some of the time during the hover mode of flight and in a second direction at least some of the time during the wing-borne mode of flight.
摘要:
A bimodal propeller aircraft is disclosed. In various embodiments, the aircraft is flown using a cruise propeller and a hover propeller. The hover propeller has one or more folding blades optimized to provide lift to the aircraft in a first flight mode. The cruise propeller is optimized to provide thrust in a second flight mode. In the second flight mode, the one or more folding blades of the hover propeller may remain in a stowed position.
摘要:
A stoppable rotor, which includes a first and second blade and rotates about a substantially vertical axis, is stopped with the first blade pointing forward and the second blade pointing backward while the aircraft is mid-flight. Anti-torque is provided using a set of one or more combination rotors in a first mode of operation in order to counter torque produced by the stoppable rotor when the stoppable rotor is rotating where the set of combination rotors rotate about a substantially longitudinal axis. Forward thrust is provided using the set of combination rotors in a second mode of operation when the stoppable rotor is not rotating.
摘要:
A wide area sensor system includes an unmanned airplane being switchable between an airplane mode for high speed flight and a VTOL mode for low speed flight, a state detection sensor provided in the unmanned airplane, the state detection sensor being driven to detect a state of a detection target, and an external control apparatus that controls flight of the unmanned airplane and driving of the state detection sensor. The external control apparatus performs high speed sensing by driving the state detection sensor while performing the high speed flight of the unmanned airplane in the airplane mode. The control apparatus performs low speed sensing by driving the state detection sensor while performing the low speed flight of the unmanned airplane in the VTOL mode.
摘要:
A mechanism for transitioning a tiltrotor aircraft between rotary and non rotary flight modes. The mechanism includes a gimbal lock positioned about a mast that is operable to selectively enable and disable a gimballing degree of freedom of a rotor assembly relative to the mast. A blade stop assembly, positioned about the mast, includes a plurality of arms having a radially contracted orientation and a radially extended orientation. A blade lock assembly is operably associated with each rotor blade assembly. Each blade lock assembly is operable to selectively enable and disable a folding degree of freedom and a pitching degree of freedom of the respective rotor blade assembly. A swash plate is operable to change the pitch of the rotor blade assemblies in the rotary flight mode and fold the rotor blade assemblies in the non rotary flight mode.
摘要:
A retractable rotor system for an aircraft includes a rotor blade with a leading edge, a trailing edge, and an internal collapsible web. The leading edge includes a flexible portion whose lower edge contacts but is not structurally joined to the lower skin. When the leading edge is peeled forward from the lower skin, the blade elastically collapses to the thickness of its constituent layers. The rotor blade extends through a support frame connectable to the aircraft to secure the rotor blade to a spool. Rotating the spool retracts the rotor blade through the support frame while pulling the rotor blade over a fixed actuating member, placing the rotor blade in the collapsed condition and winding the rotor blade onto the spool. Rotating the spool in the opposite direction unwinds the rotor blade from the spool, through the frame, causing the rotor blade to relax into the expanded condition.
摘要:
A hybrid VTOL/high speed aircraft may comprise systems and functions for in flight configuration changes from high lift helicopter or VTOL mode to fixed or swing-wing high speed aircraft mode to accommodate a variety of functions or missions.
摘要:
A VTOL aircraft is disclosed comprising a plurality of autonomous lifting modules wherein each autonomous lifting module is composed of a physical structure in which are mounted one or more electric ducted fans, an electrical energy storage system to drive the electric ducted fans, a charging and energy storage monitoring system to charge and monitor the electrical energy storage system, an inertial navigation system, electronic speed controllers to control the electric ducted fans and one or more microcomputers assuring (a) module flight stability by control of the electric ducted fans given the input of the inertial navigation system, (b) flight planning and (c) inter-module communication.
摘要:
An aerial vehicle adapted for vertical takeoff and landing using pivoting thrust producing elements for takeoff and landing. An aerial vehicle which is adapted to takeoff with thrust units providing vertical thrust and then transitioning to a horizontal flight path. An aerial vehicle with pivoting thrust units with propellers, wherein some or all of the propellers are able to be stowed and fully nested during forward flight.