Abstract:
An electric tail-sitter aircraft configured to transport passengers and/or cargo between locations. The aircraft includes a flight module, a ground module and a payload module. The flight module is a wing that can rotate with respect to the rest of the aircraft, from vertical to horizontal and vice versa. A plurality of electrically driven propellers are attached to the wing, providing vector thrusting (through the rotation of the wing) and differential thrusting to control the different phases of the flight (vertical take-off and landing, horizontal, transition between the previous two). The payload module is an interchangeable component that can be a cabin for passenger transportation or a cargo container. It can actively shift its position in the aircraft in order to control the center of gravity position. The ground module may include wheels, a transmission, suspension, and carry the payload module. It is connected to the flight module through an L-shaped hinge, where the wing rotates to a plane behind the hinging point, in order to have the center of gravity adjusted as to be located on the hinging axis.
Abstract:
A rotor system comprising hinged stabilizing flaps (6) which compensate for the torque generated by a main rotor of an air vehicle and provide the air vehicle with the rotation around its own axis, the rotor system further comprising deflecting flaps (12) which allow the air vehicle to move forward, backward, right and left.
Abstract:
One example embodiment includes a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (12). 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 (18) encapsulating an engine and the flight control system. The VTOL UAV further includes a rotor disk (14) 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.
Abstract:
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) storage and launch system includes a UAV pod 108 having an open position and a closed position, the closed position establishing an interior 106 that is weather resistant to an environment external to the UAV pod 108 and a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAV 102 enclosed in the UAV pod 108 so that the UAV pod 108 in the closed position provides a weather resistant interior 106 for the VTOL UAV 102.
Abstract:
A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) storage and launch system includes a UAV pod (108) having a UAV pod processor (114) and a UAV (102) selectively enclosed in the UAV pod (108), the UAV (102) having only two rotors (202).
Abstract:
This disclosure is generally directed to a High Speed vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft that includes fixed wing flight capabilities. The High Speed VTOL aircraft may include at least two thrust producing rotors located equidistant from a longitudinal axis of the aircraft on a main wing, and at least two thrust producing rotors located equidistant from a longitudinal axis of the aircraft on a vertical wing. The rotors may be driven by electric motors. However, other power sources may be used such as combustion or hybrid engines. By adjusting the speed and/or the pitch of the rotors, the aircraft can transition from a vertical flight configuration to a horizontal flight configuration and back.
Abstract:
A propeller blade is provided including a leading edge and a trailing edge. The trailing edge is arranged opposite the leading edge to form an airfoil there between. At least one of the leading edge and the trailing edge include at least one facet.
Abstract:
A VTOL aircraft includes at least one puller rotor and at least one pusher rotor. The VTOL aircraft, for example, may include three puller rotors and one pusher rotor. The combination of static puller and pusher rotors allows the rotors to remain in a fixed orientation (i.e., no moving mechanical axes are required) relative to the wings and fuselage of the VTOL aircraft, while being able to transition the aircraft from a substantially vertical flight path to a substantially horizontal flight path.
Abstract:
An aerial vehicle includes at least one wing, a plurality of thrust producing elements on the at least one wing, a plurality of electric motors equal to the number of thrust producing elements for individually driving each of the thrust producing elements, at least one battery for providing power to the motors, and a flight control system to control the operation of the vehicle. The aerial vehicle may include a fuselage configuration to facilitate takeoffs and landings in horizontal, vertical and transient orientations, redundant control and thrust elements to improve reliability and means of controlling the orientation stability of the vehicle in low power and multiple loss of propulsion system situations. Method of flying an aerial vehicle includes the variation of the rotational speed of the thrust producing elements to achieve active vehicle control.
Abstract:
A disclosed flying craft (100) includes a suspension structure (110) having a first end and a second end, a lift unit (150), and a payload unit (190). The lift unit includes a nacelle (128) and a tailboom (140), and pivotally couples to the first end of the suspension structure, and a payload unit couples to the structure's second end. Thus the tailboom can pivotally couple with respect to the payload unit, which advantageously permits the tailboom to assume an orientation desirable for a particular mode of flight. During vertical flight or hover, the tailboom can hang from the lift unit in an orientation that is substantially parallel to the suspension structure and that minimizes resistance to downwash from the lift unit. During horizontal flight, the tailboom can be orthogonal to the suspension structure, extending rearward in an orientation where it can develop pitching and yawing moments to control and stabilize horizontal flight. Advantageous variations and methods are also disclosed.