Lightweight Vertical Take-Off and Landing Aircraft and Flight Control Paradigm Using Thrust Differentials

• US 20110042509A1
• Filed: 04/23/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joby Aero, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Joby Aviation, Inc.
• Inventors: Bevirt, JoeBen, Peddie, Matthew, Gibboney, Jeffrey K., Craig, David D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,733,690 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/12.4
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0033 the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage

Abstract

An aerial vehicle adapted for vertical takeoff and landing using the same set of engines for takeoff and landing as well as for forward flight. An aerial vehicle which is adapted to takeoff with the wings in a vertical as opposed to horizontal flight attitude which takes off in this vertical attitude and then transitions to a horizontal flight path. An aerial vehicle which controls the attitude of the vehicle during takeoff and landing by alternating the thrust of engines, which are separated in at least two dimensions relative to the horizontal during takeoff, and which may also control regular flight in some aspects by the use of differential thrust of the engines.

Claims

1. An aerial vehicle adapted for vertical takeoff and horizontal flight, said aerial vehicle comprising:

three or more thrust producing elements differentially spaced relative to the thrust direction of said thrust producing elements while said vehicle body is in vertical or horizontal flight;

one or more wings; and

a flight control system, said flight control system adapted control the attitude of said aerial vehicle while taking off vertically by varying the thrust of the three or more thrust producing elements, said flight control system adapted to control the attitude of said aerial vehicle while in horizontal flight by varying the thrust of the three or more thrust producing elements.

2. An aerial vehicle adapted for vertical takeoff and horizontal flight, said aerial vehicle comprising:

a main vehicle body; and

a two dimensional array of three or more rotors pivotally connected to said main vehicle body.

3. The aerial vehicle of claim 2 further comprising:

a first right side wing, wherein a first rotor is attached to said first right side wing above said first right side wing, and wherein a second rotor is attached to said first right side wing below said first right side wing, and wherein said first right side wing is pivotally attached to said main vehicle body; and

a second left side wing, wherein a third rotor is attached to said second left side wing above said second left side wing, and wherein a fourth rotor is attached to said second left side wing below said second left side wing, and wherein said second left side wing is pivotally attached to said main vehicle body.

4. The aerial vehicle of claim 2 wherein said first right side wing and said second left side wing are adapted to rotate from a first position adapted to vertical take-off and landing to a second position adapted for regular flight.

5. The aerial vehicle of claim 3 wherein said first right side wing is adapted to rotate around a first pivot axis, and wherein said second left side wing is adapted to rotate around a second pivot axis.

6. The aerial vehicle of claim 5 wherein said first pivot axis and said second pivot axis are parallel.

7. The aerial vehicle of claim 5 wherein said first pivot axis and said second pivot axis are coaxial.

8. The aerial vehicle of claim 4 further comprising a control system, said control system adapted to control the attitude of said aerial vehicle during take-off and landing around a first control axis parallel to the ground and a second control axis parallel to the ground, wherein said first control axis and said second control axis are perpendicular to each other.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein varying the thrust of the engines is accomplished by varying the speed of the engines.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein varying the speed of the engines comprises varying the voltage input to the engines.

15. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of transitioning the aerial vehicle to a regular flight mode.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of transitioning the aerial vehicle to a regular flight mode.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of transitioning the aerial vehicle to a regular flight mode comprises rotating said first wing and said second wing from a first position with their leading edges facing upward to second position with their leading engines facing forward.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of controlling the attitude of said aerial vehicle in regular flight by varying the thrust of the engines.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the pitch of said aerial vehicle during regular flight is controlled at least in part by varying the thrust of engines which are separated vertically.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the yaw of said aerial vehicle during regular flight is controlled at least in part by varying the thrust of engines which are separated horizontally.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the roll of said aerial vehicle during regular flight is controlled at least in part by differentially rotating the wings relative to the aircraft body.

9. A method for flying an aerial vehicle, said method including the steps of:

rotating a first wing and a second wing relative to an aircraft body into a vertical take-off position, wherein the leading edges of said first wing and said second wing face upward;

directing thrust from a first array of engines on said first wing and a second array of engines on said second wing downward to effect a take-off from the ground;

controlling the attitude of said aerial vehicle in a first axis and a second axis during take-off by varying the thrust of the engines,

wherein said first axis and said second axis are perpendicular to each other, and wherein said first axis and said second axis are parallel to the ground.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein one or more engines of said first array of engines are on a first side of said first wing, and wherein one or more of said first array of engines are on a second side of said first wing, and wherein one or more engines of said second array of engines are on a first side of said second wing, and wherein one or more of said second array of engines are on a second side of said second wing.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of controlling the attitude of said aerial vehicle in a third axis, said third axis perpendicular to the ground.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of controlling the attitude of said aerial vehicle in a third axis comprises differentially rotating the position of said first wing and said second wing relative to said aircraft body.

22. An aerial vehicle adapted for vertical take-off and horizontal flight, said aerial vehicle comprising:

a main vehicle body;

a forward wing set, said forward wing set comprising a first left wing and a first right wing, said forward wing set attached to a forward portion of said main vehicle body;

a rear wing set, said rear wing set comprising a second left wing and a second right wing, said rear wing set attached to a rear portion of said main vehicle body;

wherein a first rotor is attached to said first right wing above said first right wing, and wherein a second rotor is attached to said first right wing below said first right wing, and wherein said first right wing is pivotally attached to said main vehicle body; and

wherein a third rotor is attached to said first left wing above said first left wing, and wherein a fourth rotor is attached to said first left wing below said first left wing, and wherein said first left wing is pivotally attached to said main vehicle body; and

wherein a fifth rotor is attached to said second right wing above said second right wing, and wherein a sixth rotor is attached to said second right wing below said second right wing, and wherein said second right wing is pivotally attached to said main vehicle body; and

wherein a seventh rotor is attached to said second left wing above said second left wing, and wherein an eighth rotor is attached to said second left wing below said second left wing, and wherein said second left wing is pivotally attached to said main vehicle body.