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

• US 10,370,095 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2017
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aerovironment
• Original Assignee: Aerovironment
• Inventors: Won, Henry Thome, Lindsey, Quentin
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzell, Philip J
• Application Number:
  US15/612,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20180002003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/26 characterised by provision of fixed wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/02 having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/06 within, or attached to, wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

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 (132b, 133b) disposed at a first end of the wing; and a second pair of motors (142b, 143b) 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.

Claims

1. 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.

2. The method of claim 1 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.

3. The method of claim 1 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.

4. The method of claim 1 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.

5. The method of claim 1 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.

6. The method of claim 1 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.

7. The method of claim 1 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.

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

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a lateral component of thrust for each motor based on an angle of each motor relative to the wing.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein each motor is angled from a longitudinal axis of the aircraft based on a desired lateral force component needed to provide a sufficient yaw in vertical flight for the VTOL aircraft.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein each motor is angled from a longitudinal axis of the aircraft based on a desired lateral force component needed to provide a sufficient roll in horizontal flight for the VTOL aircraft.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein a propeller is attached to each motor.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein each propeller is disposed distal from the wing, and wherein each propeller is in a clean air region away from turbulent air coming off the wing during horizontal flight.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein each propeller is a fixed pitch propeller.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

capturing data during horizontal flight via one or more sensors disposed in a fuselage of the VTOL aircraft.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein a sensor of the one or more sensors is a camera.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein a sensor of the one or more sensors is fixed relative to the fuselage of the VTOL aircraft.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein a sensor of the one or more sensors is pivotable relative to the fuselage of the VTOL aircraft.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing stabilization to the VTOL aircraft in horizontal flight via a vertical stabilizer.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

maintaining the VTOL aircraft in a vertical orientation prior to take-off or after landing via the vertical stabilizer.