Vertical take-off and landing (vtol) winged air vehicle with complementary angled rotors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018002003-A1
Application number	US-201715612671-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 2, 2017
Priority date	Jun 3, 2016
Publication date	Jan 4, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for an aircraft having a fuselage ( 110 ); a wing ( 120 ) extending from both sides of the fuselage; a first pair of motors ( 132 b, 133 b ) disposed at a first end of the wing; and a second pair of motors ( 142 b, 143 b ) disposed at a second end of the wing; where each motor is angled ( 381, 382, 391, 392 ) to provide a component of thrust by a propeller ( 134, 135, 144, 145 ) attached thereto that for a desired aircraft movement applies a resulting torque additive to the resulting torque created by rotating the propellers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An aircraft comprising:
a fuselage; a wing extending from both sides of the fuselage, the wing having a first side and a second side; a first pair of motors disposed at a first end of the wing distal from the fuselage, wherein one motor of the first pair of motors is on the first side of the wing, and wherein the other motor of the first pair of motors is on the second side of the wing; a second pair of motors disposed at a second end of the wing distal from the fuselage, wherein the second end of the wing is opposite the first end of the wing, wherein one motor of the second pair of motors is on the first side of the wing, and wherein the other motor of the second pair of motors is on the second side of the wing; wherein each motor is angled to provide a component of thrust by a propeller attached thereto that for a desired aircraft movement applies a resulting torque additive to a resulting torque created by rotating the propellers.

2 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein each motor is angled between 5 and 35 degrees from a longitudinal axis of the aircraft.

3 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein each propeller is disposed distal from the wing and the fuselage, and wherein each propeller is in a clean air region away from turbulent air coming off the wing and the fuselage during horizontal flight.

4 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein each motor is angled within a first plane generally perpendicular to a planform of the wing.

5 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein each motor is angled within a first plane generally perpendicular to a plane defined by the planform of the wing.

6 . A method comprising:
providing substantially equal thrust to a top port motor, a bottom port motor, a top starboard motor, and a bottom starboard motor of a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft to achieve a vertical take-off, wherein the top and bottom port motors are disposed at a first end of a wing, wherein the top and bottom starboard motors are disposed at a second end of the wing distal from the first end of the wing, wherein the top and bottom starboard motors are angled away from each other within a first plane generally perpendicular to a plane of the wing; and wherein the top and bottom port motors are angled away from each other within a second plane generally perpendicular to the plane of the wing; increasing thrust to the top motors, and decreasing thrust to the bottom motors to produce a net moment about a center of mass of the VTOL aircraft and cause the aircraft to pitch forward; and increasing thrust to the top motors, and increasing thrust to the bottom motors to achieve horizontal flight, wherein the wing of the VTOL aircraft provides primary lift in horizontal flight.

7 . The method of claim 6 further comprising: increasing thrust to the top two motors, and decreasing thrust to the bottom two motors in horizontal flight to pitch the VTOL aircraft down.

8 . The method of claim 6 further comprising: decreasing thrust to the top two motors, and increasing thrust to the bottom two motors in horizontal flight to pitch the VTOL aircraft up.

9 . The method of claim 6 further comprising: increasing thrust to the top port and bottom starboard motors, and decreasing thrust to the top starboard and bottom port motors in horizontal flight to roll the VTOL aircraft clockwise relative to a rear view of the VTOL aircraft.

10 . The method of claim 6 further comprising: decreasing thrust to top port and bottom starboard motors, and increasing thrust to top starboard and bottom port motors in horizontal flight to roll the VTOL aircraft counter-clockwise relative to a rear view of the VTOL aircraft.

11 . The method of claim 6 further comprising: increasing thrust to both the port motors and decreasing thrust to both the starboard motors in horizontal flight to yaw the VTOL aircraft starboard.

12 . The method of claim 6 further comprising: decreasing thrust to both the port motors and increasing thrust to both the starboard motors in horizontal flight to yaw the VTOL aircraft port.

13 . A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial vehicle comprising:
a wing, the wing having a first side and a second side; a first motor assembly disposed at a first end of the wing, the first motor assembly comprising:
a first motor disposed on the first side of the wing, wherein the first motor is angled from vertical away from the first side of the wing;
a first winglet, wherein the first motor is spaced apart from the first end of the wing by the first winglet;
a second motor disposed on the second side of the wing, wherein the second motor is angled from vertical away from the second side of the wing;
a second winglet, wherein the second motor is spaced apart from the first end of the wing by the second winglet;
wherein each motor is angled to provide a component of thrust by a propeller attached thereto that for a desired aircraft movement applies a resulting torque additive to the resulting torque created by rotating the propellers.

14 . The aerial vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the first motor assembly further comprises:
a first motor pod disposed on the first side of the wing, wherein the first motor pod comprises a first motor pod structure for supporting the first motor and a first propeller; and a second motor pod disposed on the second side of the wing, wherein the second motor pod comprises a second motor pod structure for supporting the second motor and a second propeller.

15 . The aerial vehicle of claim 14 , further comprising:
a second motor assembly disposed at a second end of the wing, wherein the second motor assembly is distal from the first motor assembly, the second motor assembly comprising:
a third motor disposed on the first side of the wing, wherein the third motor is angled from vertical away from the first side of the wing;
a third winglet, wherein the third motor is spaced apart from the second end of the wing by the third winglet;
a fourth motor disposed on the second side of the wing, wherein the fourth motor is angled from vertical away from the second side of the wing;
a fourth winglet, wherein the fourth motor is spaced apart from the second end of the wing by the fourth winglet.

16 . The aerial vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the first and second winglets are substantially perpendicular to a plane of the wing.

17 . The aerial vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the first and second winglets are each disposed at an obtuse angle to a plane of the wing.

18 . The aerial vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the angle of the motors is determined by a desired lateral force component needed to provide at least one of: a sufficient yaw in vertical flight and a sufficient roll in horizontal flight.

19 . The aerial vehicle of claim 13 , wherein a variation in thrust between the first motor and the second motor creates a resulting moment applied to the aircraft to move the aircraft in a controlled manner.

20 . The aerial vehicle of claim 13 , wherein each propeller is disposed distal from the wing and the fuselage, and wherein each propeller is in a clean air region away from turbulent air coming off the wing and the fuselage during horizontal flight.

Assignees

• Aerovironment Inc

Inventors

• Won Henry Thome
• Lindsey Quentin

Classifications

• B64D27/06

  within, or attached to, wings · CPC title

• B64C29/02 Primary

  having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded · CPC title

• B64C27/26 Primary

  characterised by provision of fixed wings · CPC title

• B64C39/024

  of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV · CPC title

• B64C2201/165

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic