Reduced visibility rotorcraft and method of controlling flight of reduced visibility rotorcraft

• US 20040251377A1
• Filed: 05/26/2004
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veratech Aero-RPV Corporation
• Original Assignee: Veratech Aero-RPV Corporation
• Inventors: Dammar, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,059,931 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/17.11
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/00 Rotorcraft; Rotors peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/00 Aircraft not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/10 for stealth, e.g. reduction of cross-section detectable by radars
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• 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 50/12 using turbine engines, e.g. turbojets or turbofans
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/15 using combustion exhausts other than turbojets or turbofans, e.g. using rockets, ramjets, scramjets or pulse-reactors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors

Abstract

A rotary aircraft (rotorcraft) in which the entire aircraft rotates about its center of mass as it flies, and in which the center of mass is located external to the aircraft in the generally triangular region formed by the aircraft'"'"'s single wing and two propellers. As the aircraft flies, the two propellers provide torque about the center of mass and rotate the wing, which provides lift for the aircraft. The aircraft is controllable via a stationary radio transmitter that sends commands for pitch, roll, yaw and altitude. A receiver in the aircraft uses the transmitted signal to establish the aircraft'"'"'s instantaneous orientation in combination with the sent commands to generate control signals that drive the propeller motors that affect the aircraft'"'"'s attitude. Pitch and roll are controlled by pulse width modulation of the propeller motor voltages in order to affect the thrust at specific portions of the aircraft'"'"'s rotation cycle.

Claims

1. A rotorcraft capable of powered rotational flight, comprising:

one wing;

at least one thrust generator connected to the wing; and

a center of mass that is located external to the rotorcraft.

2. The rotorcraft of claim 1, wherein the rotorcraft does not surround the center of mass.

3. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising the at least one thrust generator defining a radial path, the thrust generator being responsive to control signals for varying thrust at any selected position along the respective path to control the flight direction of the rotorcraft.

4. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising the at least one thrust generator being a propeller.

5. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising the at least one thrust generator being an impeller.

6. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising the at least one thrust generator being a jet engine.

7. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising the at least one thrust generator being a rocket.

8. The rotorcraft of claim 4, further comprising at least one electric motor, the motor drivingly connected to the at least one propeller.

9. The rotorcraft of claim 8, further comprising the electric motors being driven with pulse width modulation.

10. The rotorcraft of claim 8, further comprising at least one battery, the battery providing power to the at least one electric motor.

11. The rotorcraft of claim 4, further comprising:

a longitudinal axis; and

two propeller supports, the supports being offset on either side of the longitudinal axis and disposed between the wing and the at least one propeller.

12. The rotorcraft of claim 11 wherein the propeller supports are equally offset from the longitudinal axis.

13. The rotorcraft of claim 11, wherein the propeller supports are unequally offset from the longitudinal axis.

14. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising at least two wings.

15. The rotorcraft of claim 11, further comprising a housing pod disposed between the wing and propeller supports.

16. The rotorcraft of claim 15, wherein the housing pod holds at least one component selected from the group consisting of:

flight control electronics, at least one electronic propeller motor, at least one battery, a digital camera capable of taking still photos or video, an infrared sensor, a global positioning sensor, a visible light sensor, an ultraviolet light sensor, a radio frequency sensor, an ultrasound sensor, a magnetic field sensor, and a chemical detection sensor.

17. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising the rotorcraft being of unitary body construction.

18. The rotorcraft of claim 17, further comprising integrating at least one component into the unitary body constructed rotorcraft, selected from the group consisting of:

flight control electronics, at least one electronic propeller motor, at least one battery, a digital camera capable of taking still photos or video, an infrared sensor, a global positioning sensor, a visible light sensor, an ultraviolet light sensor, a radio frequency sensor, an ultrasound sensor, a magnetic field sensor, and a chemical detection sensor.

19. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising the orientations of the at least one thrust generator being fixed.

20. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising the orientations of the at least one thrust generator being changeable prior to flight.

21. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising the orientations of the at least one thrust generator being changeable during flight.

22. The rotorcraft of claim 21, further comprising a remote control for changing the at least one thrust generator orientation during flight.

23. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising control electronics and a remote control for controlling the altitude and direction of the rotorcraft during flight.

24. The rotorcraft of claim 16, further comprising a remote control for controlling the components during flight.

25. The rotorcraft of claim 18, further comprising a remote control for controlling the components during flight.

26. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising at least one wheel disposed beneath the wing to aid in landing.

27. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising a landing protrusion disposed beneath the wing to aid in landing.

28. The rotorcraft of claim 16, wherein the components further comprise a transmitter that provides automated flight path capability for the rotorcraft using the global positioning sensor.

29. The rotorcraft of claim 16, wherein the components further comprise:

a servo system to self-level the rotorcraft during flight; and

a sensor capable of detecting a thermal profile from the surrounding terrain.

30. The rotorcraft of claim 29 wherein the sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

31. The rotorcraft of claim 16, wherein the components further comprise a servo system to self-level the rotorcraft during flight, including an accelerometer capable of detecting whether the rotorcraft is level and providing the servo system with level detection data.

32. The rotorcraft of claim 11, further comprising the propeller supports being collapsible to allow flat storage and rapid unfolding and launch.

33. The rotorcraft of claim 17, further comprising a servo integrated in the unitary constructed body to dynamically control the attack angle of the wing.

34. The rotorcraft of claim 33, further comprising a remote control for controlling the attack angle of the wing.

35. A method for increasing a rotorcraft'"'"'s stability during flight, comprising:

providing a rotorcraft with a wing, a longitudinal axis parallel to the wing, and propellers balanced against the wing wherein the propellers are offset on either side of the longitudinal axis; and

increasing the moment of inertia for the rotorcraft by increasing the offset of each of the propellers from the longitudinal axis and from each other.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising locating the center of mass of the rotorcraft outside of the rotorcraft.

37. A method for reducing the visibility of a rotorcraft during rotational flight, comprising:

providing a rotorcraft;

flying the rotorcraft so that substantially the entire rotorcraft rotates during flight; and

utilizing persistence of vision to reduce visibility of the rotating rotorcraft.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising locating the rotorcraft'"'"'s center of mass outside of the rotorcraft.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising ensuring that the center of mass is substantially visually transparent when viewed from the ground during the rotorcraft'"'"'s rotational flight.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising providing a rotorcraft having a wing and at least two thrust generators connected to the wing.

41. A method of controlling the flight of a rotorcraft, comprising:

providing a rotorcraft with a center of mass located external to the rotorcraft'"'"'s structure;

providing at least one thrust generator on the rotorcraft, wherein the at least one thrust generator defines a rotational path;

varying the thrust applied by the at least one thrust generator at any location along the rotational path of the at least one thrust generator to control the flight direction and altitude of the rotorcraft.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the rotorcraft further comprises a wing.

43. The method of claim 41, further comprising remotely controlling the flight direction and altitude of the rotorcraft using a remote control device that transmits a control signal.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

receiving the control signal;

processing the control signal using a radio receiver to generate information regarding the desired flight path and altitude;

generating a signal regarding information about the rotational phase of the rotorcraft at any given instant in time; and

processing the control signal and the current rotational phase of the rotorcraft to achieve the desired flight path and altitude.

45. The method of claim 43, further comprising providing an alternate control signal locating system in the event that contact is lost or disrupted between the remote control and the rotorcraft.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

the locating system detecting a broadcast station signal; and

using the broadcast station signal to remotely control the rotorcraft.

47. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

providing a position sensor on the rotorcraft; and

using the position sensor to inform the rotorcraft of its location.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the position sensor is a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, and further comprising:

automating the rotorcraft flight path by providing the rotorcraft with a series of GPS coordinates;

directing the rotorcraft to fly to the provided coordinates; and

remotely directing the rotorcraft to take and transmit photographic data at a given coordinate or drop a payload.

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising providing a self-leveling mechanism.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the self-leveling mechanism is a servo system, and further comprising:

detecting level imbalances in the rotorcraft'"'"'s orientation using an infrared sensor to detect a thermal profile from surrounding terrain as the rotorcraft rotates; and

generating a servo signal to bring the rotorcraft to a level condition if an imbalance is detected.