Aircraft having M-wings
First Claim
1. An aircraft having a vertical takeoff and landing fight mode and a forward flight mode, the aircraft comprising:
- an airframe including first and second M-wings each having a pair of leading apexes with swept forward and swept back portions extending therefrom at a swept angle;
a propulsion system including a plurality of propulsion assemblies each attached to the airframe proximate one of the leading apexes, the propulsion assemblies each having a rotor assembly with a tilting degree of freedom; and
a flight control system operable to control the propulsion assemblies including tilting the rotor assemblies to generate variable thrust vectors;
wherein, a maximum angle of the thrust vectors is generally congruent with the swept angles of the M-wings.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An aircraft has a vertical takeoff and landing fight mode and a forward flight mode. The aircraft includes an airframe with first and second M-wings each having a pair of leading apexes with swept forward and swept back portions extending therefrom at a swept angle. A propulsion system includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies each attached to the airframe proximate one of the leading apexes. Each of the propulsion assemblies includes a rotor assembly having a tilting degree of freedom. A flight control system is operable to control the propulsion assemblies including tilting the rotor assemblies to generate variable thrust vectors that have a maximum angle that is generally congruent with the swept angles of the M-wings.
103 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An aircraft having a vertical takeoff and landing fight mode and a forward flight mode, the aircraft comprising:
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an airframe including first and second M-wings each having a pair of leading apexes with swept forward and swept back portions extending therefrom at a swept angle; a propulsion system including a plurality of propulsion assemblies each attached to the airframe proximate one of the leading apexes, the propulsion assemblies each having a rotor assembly with a tilting degree of freedom; and a flight control system operable to control the propulsion assemblies including tilting the rotor assemblies to generate variable thrust vectors; wherein, a maximum angle of the thrust vectors is generally congruent with the swept angles of the M-wings. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An aircraft having a vertical takeoff and landing fight mode and a forward flight mode, the aircraft comprising:
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an airframe including first and second M-wings each having a pair of leading apexes with swept forward and swept back portions extending therefrom at a swept angle and a plurality of stanchions each positioned proximate one of the leading apexes; a propulsion system including a plurality of propulsion assemblies each attached to one of the stanchions, the propulsion assemblies each having a rotor assembly with a tilting degree of freedom; a flight control system operable to control the propulsion assemblies including tilting the rotor assemblies to generate variable thrust vectors; and a pod assembly selectively attachable to the airframe; wherein, a maximum angle of the thrust vectors is generally congruent with the swept angles of the M-wings; wherein, the airframe is rotatable about the pod assembly such that the pod assembly remains in a generally horizontal attitude in the vertical takeoff and landing fight mode, the forward flight mode and transitions therebetween; and wherein, the stanchions provide standoff between the propulsion assemblies and the M-wings. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification