Modular fixed VTOL with line replaceable units

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12415600-B2
Application number	US-202117246541-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2021
Priority date	Apr 30, 2020
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

A modular VTOL drone aircraft can include a primary processor, a plurality of propellers, one or more line replacement modules (“LRMs”) and one or more line replacement units (“LRUs”). LRMs can include a fuselage, a center wing, two booms, two outer wings, two vertical tails, a horizontal tail, and/or an engine. LRUs can include an avionics module, a radio communications assembly, a sensor package assembly, an ISR assembly, and/or a deployable payload assembly. Each LRM and LRU can be self-contained and removably attached to the remainder of the VTOL drone. Each LRM can be readily interchanged with another similar LRM, which can be of a different size. LRM interfaces can include a blind mate electric connector and/or a floating connector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A Vertical Take-Off and Landing (“VTOL”) drone aircraft, comprising:
a fuselage;
a primary processor located at the fuselage;
a plurality of propellers;
a self-contained line replaceable unit (“LRU”) removably coupled to the fuselage, wherein the LRU is an avionics module, a radio communications assembly, a sensor package assembly, an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (“ISR”) assembly, or a deployable payload assembly; and
a first self-contained line replaceable module (“LRM”) having a first interface configured to removably couple the first LRM to the VTOL drone aircraft, wherein the first LRM is a wing assembly, a tail assembly or, a boom;
an engine module, wherein the engine module is self-contained and is configured to be removably coupled to the fuselage, and
wherein the first LRM includes an electrical item and wherein the primary processor is configured to access an onboard maintenance interval database and perform a diagnostic check on the wing assembly, the tail assembly or the boom when the first LRM is initially coupled to the VTOL drone aircraft, and wherein the diagnostic check is based at least on whether a given amount of flight time or distance has been exceeded.

2. The VTOL drone aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the first interface includes an electrical connection configured to transmit electrical power to the electrical item.

3. The VTOL drone aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the first interface includes communication connections configured to transmit communications from a processor to the electrical item.

4. The VTOL drone aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the first LRM is interchangeable with a second LRM of a different size, having different functionalities, or both such that the second LRM can also couple to the VTOL drone aircraft in place of the first LRM.

5. The VTOL drone aircraft of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second self-contained LRM having a second interface configured to couple the second LRM to the remainder of the VTOL drone aircraft.

6. The VTOL drone aircraft of claim 5 , wherein the first LRM is a wing assembly and the second LRM is a tail assembly.

7. The VTOL drone aircraft of claim 5 , wherein the first LRM is a wing assembly and the second LRM is a boom that includes multiple propellers from the plurality of propellers coupled thereto.

8. The VTOL drone aircraft of claim 7 , wherein the boom further includes a separate dedicated electronic speed control unit for each of the multiple propellers.

9. The VTOL drone aircraft of claim 7 , wherein the wing assembly is removably coupled to the fuselage and the boom is removably coupled to the wing assembly.

10. The VTOL drone aircraft of claim 1 , further comprising:
third through tenth LRMs, wherein each of the respective third through tenth LRMs is self-contained and includes a separate interface configured to couple the respective LRM to the remainder of the VTOL drone aircraft.

11. The VTOL drone aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the primary processor is configured to detach the first LRM from the remainder of the VTOL drone aircraft while the VTOL drone aircraft is in flight.

12. The VTOL drone aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the primary processor, as a result of the diagnostic check, qualifies the first LRM as either being good, in need of replacement or repair, or in need of maintenance.

13. The VTOL drone aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the primary processor, as a result of the diagnostic check, qualifies the first LRM as in need of maintenance due to a flight time threshold or distance threshold being exceeded.

14. The VTOL drone aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the primary processor, as a result of a diagnostic check on the first LRM indicating the first LRM is in need of replacement, initiates repair of the first LRM.

15. The VTOL drone aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the primary processor cross-references the maintenance interval database with a part number of the first LRM.

16. The VTOL drone aircraft of claim 15 , wherein the primary processor, in conjunction with a flight planner, automatically provides a warning when the primary processor determines the first LRM exceeds a maintenance interval tolerance based on flight planning data of the flight planner and the part number.

17. The VTOL drone aircraft of claim 16 , wherein the primary processor provides an indication to either swap out the first LRM or reduce an upcoming mission time.

Assignees

• Sierra Nevada Corp
• Sierra Nevada Company Llc

Inventors

• Agostino Emily
• Foxen Sean
• Leo Curtis
• Morris Stephen

Classifications

• B64D27/02

  Aircraft characterised by the type or position of power plants · CPC title

• B64U2101/60

  for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons · CPC title

• B64U30/10

  Wings · CPC title

• B64U30/20

  Rotors; Rotor supports · CPC title

• B64U10/20

  Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft (flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17) · CPC title