Hybrid VTOL fixed-wing drone

• US 10,081,436 B1
• Filed: 07/06/2017
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shanghai Autoflight Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: AutoflightX International Limited.
• Inventors: Tian, Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, JESSICA BOWEN
• Application Number:
  US15/643,452
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/26 characterised by provision of fixed wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0025 the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/04 having multiple fuselages or tail booms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/12 Canard-type aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 31/00 Power plant control systems; Arrangement of power plant control systems in aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/16 with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/20 Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/65 Composite materials
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/30 Supply or distribution of electrical power

Abstract

A long-distance drone is disclosed having a canard body style with a main body, a left main wing, a right main wing, a left forewing, and a right forewing. The left forewing is attached to the main body forward of the left main wing, and the right forewing is attached to the main body forward of the right main wing. There is a left linear support connecting the left forewing to the left main wing, and a right linear support connecting the right forewing to the right main wing. A plurality of propellers are disposed on the left and the right linear supports.

Claims

1. A long-distance drone comprising:

a canard body style having a main body, a left main wing, a right main wing, a left forewing, and a right forewing;

wherein the left forewing is attached to the main body forward of the left main wing;

wherein the right forewing is attached to the main body forward of the right main wing;

a left linear support spaced apart from said main body connecting the left forewing to the left main wing;

a right linear support spaced apart from said main body connecting the right forewing to the right main wing;

a first propeller, a second propeller, and a third propeller linearly arranged and disposed on the left linear support;

a fourth propeller, a fifth propeller, and a sixth propeller linearly arranged and disposed on the right linear support;

wherein the first and the third propellers are disposed on a first side of the left linear support, and the second propeller is disposed on a second side of the left linear support opposite to the first side of the left linear support;

wherein one of said first and second side of the left linear support is a bottom side positioned below a horizontal position of both the left forewing and left main wing;

wherein the fourth and the sixth propellers are disposed on a first side of the right linear support, and the fifth propeller is disposed on a second side of the right linear support opposite to the first side of the right linear support;

wherein one of said first and second side of the right linear support is a bottom side positioned below a horizontal position of both the right forewing and right main wing;

wherein the first and the second propellers only partially overlap in their respective ranges of motion;

wherein each of said left and right linear support extends rearward beyond the left and right main wings, where the left and right main wings are also a pair of rearmost wings;

wherein each of said left and right main wings is longer than each of said left and right forewings; and

wherein each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth propeller has a thrust vector, and these thrust vectors are perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the main body.

2. The drone as recited in claim 1, wherein the first propeller, the second propeller, and the third propeller are linearly arranged to parallel the longitudinal axis of the main body;

and wherein the fourth propeller, the fifth propeller, and the sixth propeller are linearly arranged to parallel the longitudinal axis of the main body.

3. The drone as recited in claim 2, wherein the first propeller, the second propeller, and the third propeller are directly disposed on the left linear support, and wherein the fourth propeller, the fifth propeller, and the sixth propeller are directly disposed on the right linear support.

4. The drone as recited in claim 2 further comprising a push propeller disposed at a back end of the main body.

5. The drone as recited in claim 1 further comprising a left vertical stabilizer disposed on a back end of the left linear support, and a right vertical stabilizer disposed on a back end of the right linear support.

6. The drone as recited in claim 1, wherein the first side of the left linear support is the bottom side of the left linear support, and the second side is a top side of the left linear support.