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公开(公告)号：US20230219685A1
公开(公告)日：2023-07-13
申请号：US17572529
申请日：2022-01-10
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： Levi Charles Hefner , Kevin Fisher , Manuel Adrian Gonzalez
CPC classification number: B64C29/0016 , B64C39/024 , B64D1/12 , B64D27/26 , F16B2/06 , B64C2201/128 , B64C2201/146
Abstract: A tailsitter aircraft includes an airframe having first and second wings with first and second pylons extending therebetween, a thrust array attached to the airframe, payloads and payload saddle assemblies coupled to the pylons each configured to secure a respective payload. The thrust array includes propulsion assemblies configured to transition the airframe between a forward flight orientation for wing-borne lift and a VTOL orientation for thrust-borne lift. Each payload saddle assembly includes a latch assembly and a retainer configured to secure the respective payload against a respective pylon. A latch assembly is movable between various positions including an open position and a closed position and is configured to secure the respective payload in the closed position and release the respective payload in the open position. Each latch assembly is configured to move from the closed position to the open position to release the respective payload in the VTOL orientation.
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公开(公告)号：US20220388652A1
公开(公告)日：2022-12-08
申请号：US17714096
申请日：2022-04-05
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： Levi Charles Hefner , Dakota Charles Easley
Abstract: An unmanned aircraft system operable for wing-borne lift in a flying wing orientation. The unmanned aircraft system includes an airframe having a leading edge, a trailing edge, first and second wingtips and a root chord. The airframe has an airfoil cross-section along chord stations thereof. A thrust array is coupled to the airframe including first and second motor mounts coupled to the leading edge respectively between the root chord and the first and second wingtips. The motor mounts each have first and second propulsion assemblies coupled to respective first and second distal ends thereof. The motor mounts each have a flight configuration substantially perpendicular with the leading edge forming a two-dimensional distributed thrust array such that the airframe extends outboard of the first and second motor mounts. The unmanned aircraft system includes an electric power system and a flight control system that are operably associated with the thrust array.
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公开(公告)号：US11319066B2
公开(公告)日：2022-05-03
申请号：US16031786
申请日：2018-07-10
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： Levi Charles Hefner , Dakota Charles Easley
Abstract: An unmanned aircraft system includes a flying wing airframe having leading and trailing edges with respective sweep angles. A thrust array is coupled to the airframe and includes first and second motor mounts each selectively rotatably coupled to the leading edge by a locking joint. Each motor mount has first and second propulsion assemblies coupled to respective first and second distal ends thereof. A power system is operably associated with the thrust array and is operable to provide power to each propulsion assembly. A flight control system is operably associated with the thrust array and is operable to independently control the speed of each propulsion assembly. In a flight configuration, each motor mount is locked substantially perpendicular with the leading edge by the respective locking joint. In a compact storage configuration, each motor mount is locked substantially parallel with the leading edge the respective locking joint.
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公开(公告)号：US10894602B2
公开(公告)日：2021-01-19
申请号：US16113519
申请日：2018-08-27
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： Levi Charles Hefner , Dakota Charles Easley
Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle has a flight mode and a compact storage mode. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes an airframe having first and second wings with first and second pylons extending therebetween. A thrust array is coupled to the airframe including two propulsion assemblies coupled to each of the first and second wings. An electric power system is operably associated with the thrust array and operable to provide power to each propulsion assembly. A flight control system is operably associated with the thrust array and operable to independently control the speed of each propulsion assembly. In the flight mode, the first and second wings are substantially parallel with the vertical dimension therebetween at a maximum. In the compact storage mode, the first and second pylons are rotated relative to the first and second wings such that the vertical dimension between the first and second wings is at a minimum.
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公开(公告)号：US11702187B2
公开(公告)日：2023-07-18
申请号：US16917547
申请日：2020-06-30
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： Robert Allen Bukovec , Nathaniel David Bryant , Levi Charles Hefner
Abstract: An example of a collapsible pylon for a drone aircraft includes a bore extending through a length of a barrel, a first and a second flex-pin bore formed through a wall of the barrel, a first arm slidably positioned within a first end of the bore, a first flex pin disposed on the first arm to engage the first flex-pin bore, a second arm slidably positioned within a second end of the bore, and a second flex pin disposed on the second arm to engage the second flex-pin bore.
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Patent Agency Ranking
公开(公告)号：US11124296B2
公开(公告)日：2021-09-21
申请号：US16031741
申请日：2018-07-10
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： Levi Charles Hefner , Dakota Charles Easley
Abstract: An unmanned aircraft system includes a flying wing airframe having leading and trailing edges with respective sweep angles. A thrust array is coupled to the airframe and includes first and second motor mounts each rotatably coupled to the leading edge. Each motor mount has first and second propulsion assemblies coupled to respective first and second distal ends thereof. A power system is operably associated with the thrust array and is operable to provide power to each propulsion assembly. A flight control system is operably associated with the thrust array and is operable to independently control the speed of each propulsion assembly. In a flight configuration of the system, each motor mount is substantially perpendicular with the leading edge such that the thrust array forms a two-dimensional thrust array. In a compact storage configuration of the system, each motor mount is substantially parallel with the leading edge.
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公开(公告)号：US20200062390A1
公开(公告)日：2020-02-27
申请号：US16113519
申请日：2018-08-27
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： Levi Charles Hefner , Dakota Charles Easley
Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle has a flight mode and a compact storage mode. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes an airframe having first and second wings with first and second pylons extending therebetween. A thrust array is coupled to the airframe including two propulsion assemblies coupled to each of the first and second wings. An electric power system is operably associated with the thrust array and operable to provide power to each propulsion assembly. A flight control system is operably associated with the thrust array and operable to independently control the speed of each propulsion assembly. In the flight mode, the first and second wings are substantially parallel with the vertical dimension therebetween at a maximum. In the compact storage mode, the first and second pylons are rotated relative to the first and second wings such that the vertical dimension between the first and second wings is at a minimum.
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公开(公告)号：US12103673B2
公开(公告)日：2024-10-01
申请号：US17572529
申请日：2022-01-10
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： Levi Charles Hefner , Kevin Fisher , Manuel Adrian Gonzalez
CPC classification number: B64C29/0016 , B64C29/00 , B64C39/02 , B64C39/024 , B64D1/12 , B64D27/40 , F16B2/06 , B64U2101/60 , B64U2201/20
Abstract: A tailsitter aircraft includes an airframe having first and second wings with first and second pylons extending therebetween, a thrust array attached to the airframe, payloads and payload saddle assemblies coupled to the pylons each configured to secure a respective payload. The thrust array includes propulsion assemblies configured to transition the airframe between a forward flight orientation for wing-borne lift and a VTOL orientation for thrust-borne lift. Each payload saddle assembly includes a latch assembly and a retainer configured to secure the respective payload against a respective pylon. A latch assembly is movable between various positions including an open position and a closed position and is configured to secure the respective payload in the closed position and release the respective payload in the open position. Each latch assembly is configured to move from the closed position to the open position to release the respective payload in the VTOL orientation.
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公开(公告)号：US20220197308A1
公开(公告)日：2022-06-23
申请号：US17133229
申请日：2020-12-23
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： John Robert Wittmaak, JR. , Russell C. Peters , Aaron Hitchcock , William Ben Johns , Levi Charles Hefner , Andrew Vincent Louis
Abstract: An aircraft includes an airframe with a thrust array attached thereto. The thrust array includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies that are independently controlled by a flight control system. A landing gear assembly is coupled to the airframe and includes a plurality of landing feet. An altitude sensor array includes a plurality of altitude sensors each of which is disposed within one of the landing feet such that when the aircraft is in the VTOL orientation, the altitude sensor array is configured to obtain multifocal altitude data relative to a landing surface. The flight control system is configured to generate a three-dimensional terrain map of the surface based upon the multifocal altitude data.
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公开(公告)号：US20200062391A1
公开(公告)日：2020-02-27
申请号：US16113577
申请日：2018-08-27
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： Levi Charles Hefner , Dakota Charles Easley
Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle has an airframe having first and second wing modules with first and second pylons extending therebetween. A thrust array is coupled to the airframe including two propulsion assemblies coupled to each of the first and second wings. An electric power system is operably associated with the thrust array and operable to provide power to each propulsion assembly. A flight control system is operably associated with the thrust array and operable to independently control the speed of each propulsion assembly. The each wing module is selected from a plurality of wing modules each having a respective function and each interchangeably couplable with the first and second pylons to enable the airframe to support the functions of the plurality of wing modules.
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