Un-manned aerial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016009363-A1
Application number	US-201414172035-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 4, 2014
Priority date	Feb 4, 2013
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to an aircraft. The aircraft includes a fuselage module for receiving a payload. The fuselage module includes a plurality of internal connections. The aircraft includes a wing module adjustably coupled to the fuselage module and a tail module coupled to the wing module. The wing module may be adjusted relative to the fuselage module to adjust a location of an aerodynamic center of the aircraft to maintain a pre-determined distance between the location of the aerodynamic center of the aircraft and the location of the center of gravity of the aircraft. A main landing gear may be adjusted relative to the fuselage module to adjust the location of the aerodynamic center of the aircraft to maintain a pre-determined distance between the location of the aerodynamic center of the aircraft and the location of the center of gravity of the aircraft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An aircraft comprising:
a fuselage module for receiving a payload, the fuselage module comprising a plurality of internal connections; a main landing gear adjustably coupled to the fuselage module; a wing module adjustably coupled to the fuselage module; a tail module adjustably coupled to the wing module; wherein the wing module may be adjusted relative to the fuselage module to maintain a pre-determined distance between a location of an aerodynamic center of the aircraft and a location of a center of gravity of the aircraft; and wherein a location of main landing gear relative to the fuselage module may be adjusted to maintain the pre-determined distance between the location of the aerodynamic center of the aircraft and the location of the center of gravity of the aircraft.

2 . The aircraft of claim 1 , comprising a nose landing gear adjustably coupled to the fuselage module;

3 . The aircraft of claim 1 , comprising a drive motor disposed within a rear aspect of the fuselage module.

4 . The aircraft of claim 1 , comprising:
a first adjustable coupling disposed on an upper aspect of the fuselage module; and a second adjustable coupling disposed on an underside of the wing module.

5 . The aircraft of claim 4 , wherein the first adjustable coupling is intermeshed with the second adjustable coupling.

6 . The aircraft of claim 5 , comprising a pin securing the first adjustable coupling and the second adjustable coupling.

7 . The aircraft of claim 5 , wherein the first adjustable coupling and the second adjustable coupling facilitates selective movement of the wing module relative to the fuselage module.

8 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the tail module comprises a first boom and a second boom.

9 . The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein the wing module comprises a first aperture and a second aperture.

10 . The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein the first boom is inserted into the first aperture and the second boom is inserted into the second aperture.

11 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the tail module is adjustable relative to the wing module.

12 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of internal connections comprise a plurality of slot rails disposed generally parallel to an aircraft long axis.

13 . The aircraft of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of slog rails are T-slot rails.

14 . A method of configuring an aircraft, the method comprising:
positioning a payload within a fuselage module; determining a location of a center of gravity of the aircraft with the payload; determined a first desired location of a wing module relative to the fuselage module; connecting the wing module to the fuselage module at the desired location; adjusting a location of a main landing gear to a second desired location; and connecting a tail module to the wing module.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the connecting the wing module comprises intermeshing a first adjustable coupling, disposed on the fuselage module, with a second adjustable coupling, disposed on the wing module.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the connecting the wing module comprises inserting a pin through the first adjustable coupling and the second adjustable coupling.

17 . The method of claim 14 , comprising adjusting a location of the wing module relative to the fuselage module.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the connecting the tail module comprises inserting a first boom into a first aperture located on the wing module and inserting a second boom into a second aperture located on the wing module.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the positioning comprises securing the payload to a plurality of slot rails.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of slot rails are oriented generally parallel to an aircraft long axis.

Assignees

• Texas A & M Univ Sys

Inventors

• Valasek John
• May James Franklin
• Beckett Andrew
• Rhodes Jr Cecil C

Classifications

• B64U50/11

  using internal combustion piston engines · CPC title

• B64U2101/60

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

• B64C39/04

  having multiple fuselages or tail booms · CPC title

• B64C1/22 Primary

  Other structures integral with fuselages to facilitate loading {, e.g. cargo bays, cranes} · CPC title

• B64C2211/00

  Modular constructions of airplanes or helicopters · CPC title