Aircraft having autonomous and remote flight control capabilities

• US 10,214,285 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2016
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: McCullough, John Richard, Oldroyd, Paul K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Benedik, Justin M
• Application Number:
  US15/200,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20180002014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/02 having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/06 having disc- or ring-shaped wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/08 the articles being load-carrying devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/12 Ejectable capsules
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/293 Foldable or collapsible rotors or rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/11 using internal combustion piston engines
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft

Abstract

In some embodiments, an aircraft includes a flying frame having an airframe with first and second wing members having a plurality of pylons extending therebetween, a distributed propulsion system including a plurality of propulsion assemblies securably attached to the airframe and a flight control system operably associated with the distributed propulsion system. The flying frame has a vertical takeoff and landing mode with the wing members disposed in generally the same horizontal plane and a forward flight mode with the wing members disposed in generally the same vertical plane. The flight control system is operable to command the propulsion assemblies responsive to at least one of remote flight control, autonomous flight control and combinations thereof.

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising:

a flying frame including an airframe with first and second wing members having a plurality of pylons extending therebetween;

a distributed propulsion system including a plurality of propulsion assemblies a plurality of booster propulsion assemblies securably attached to the airframe, the propulsion assemblies including proprotors; and

a flight control system operably associated with the distributed propulsion system, the flight control system commanding operation of the propulsion assemblies responsive to at least one of remote flight control, autonomous flight control and combinations thereof,

wherein, the flying frame has a vertical takeoff and landing mode with the wing members disposed in generally the same horizontal plane and a forward flight mode with the wing members disposed in generally the same vertical plane; and

wherein, the distributed propulsion system includes a plurality of booster propulsion assemblies coupled to the airframe.

2. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second wing members further comprise straight wing members.

3. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second wing members further comprise polyhedral wing members.

4. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the first wing member further comprises a dihedral wing member and the second wing member further comprises an anhedral wing member.

5. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of pylons further comprises two pylons.

6. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of pylons further comprises four pylons.

7. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the propulsion assemblies are attached to the airframe in a mid wing configuration.

8. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the propulsion assemblies are attached to the airframe in a high wing configuration.

9. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of propulsion assemblies further comprises a plurality of first propulsion assemblies including proprotors having blades of a first span length and a plurality of second propulsion assemblies including proprotors having blades of a second span length that is greater than the first span length.

10. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of propulsion assemblies further comprises a plurality of first propulsion assemblies including proprotors having a first number blades and a plurality of second propulsion assemblies including proprotors having a second blades that is greater than the first number blades.

11. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the distributed propulsion system further comprises a distributed fuel system.

12. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the propulsion assemblies further comprises a nacelle, an engine, a drive system, a rotor hub and an electronics node.

13. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the propulsion assemblies further comprises a line replaceable unit.

14. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the distributed propulsion system further comprises a nonsymmetrical array of propulsion assemblies.

15. A method of operating an aircraft comprising:

providing a flying frame including an airframe with first and second wing members having a plurality of pylons extending therebetween, a distributed propulsion system including a plurality of propulsion assemblies securably attached to the airframe and a flight control system operably associated with the distributed propulsion system;

vertically taking off and landing the flying frame with the wing members disposed in generally the same horizontal plane;

engaging the flying frame in forward flight with the wing members disposed in generally the same vertical plane; and

commanding operation of the propulsion assemblies with the flight control system responsive to at least one of remote flight control, autonomous flight control and combinations thereof including independently controlling a plurality of booster propulsion assemblies coupled to the airframe.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein commanding operation of the propulsion assemblies with the flight control system further comprises independently controlling the propulsion assemblies.

17. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein commanding operation of the propulsion assemblies with the flight control system further comprises selectively operating propulsion assemblies during forward flight.

18. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein commanding operation of the propulsion assemblies with the flight control system further comprises adjusting thrust vectors of propulsion assemblies during hover.