Multicopter with wide span rotor configuration and protective fuselage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10526079-B1
Application number	US-201816191888-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 15, 2018
Priority date	Jul 13, 2017
Publication date	Jan 7, 2020
Grant date	Jan 7, 2020

Abstract

An inner middle rotor is rotated while an inner front rotor, an inner back rotor, and an outer rotor are not rotated. The inner middle rotor is surrounded by the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, the outer rotor, and a fuselage. After rotating the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor, the inner middle rotor, the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are simultaneously rotated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of rotors, including an inner front rotor, an inner middle rotor, an inner back rotor, and an outer rotor;
a fuselage; and
a flight controller configured to:
rotate the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor, wherein the inner middle rotor is surrounded by the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, the outer rotor, and the fuselage;
after rotating the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor, simultaneously rotate the inner middle rotor, the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor.

2. The vehicle recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the flight controller is further configured to: prior to rotating the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor, rotate the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor to be positioned tip-to-tip; and
the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates.

3. The vehicle recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the flight controller is further configured to: prior to rotating the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor, rotate the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor to be positioned tip-to-tip at an end of a first flight; and
the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates during a second flight, wherein the second flight occurs after the first flight.

4. The vehicle recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the flight controller is further configured to: prior to rotating the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor, rotate the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor to be positioned tip-to-tip; and
the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates during a same flight as when the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are rotated to be positioned tip-to-tip.

Assignees

• Kitty Hawk Corp

Inventors

• Reichert Todd
• Robertson Cameron
• Cutler Mark Johnson

Classifications

• B64C25/54

  Floats · CPC title

• B64C27/001

  Vibration damping devices · CPC title

• B64C27/08 Primary

  with two or more rotors · CPC title

• B64C29/0025

  the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage · CPC title