Electric VTOL Aircraft

• US 20120056040A1
• Filed: 03/22/2010
• Published: 03/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neva Aerospace Limited
• Original Assignee: Geola Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Brotherton-Ratcliffe, David, Lelusz, Jerzy
• Granted Patent: US 9,096,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/23.A
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 11/001 Shrouded propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/08 with two or more rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/20 Rotorcraft characterised by having shrouded rotors, e.g. flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0016 the lift during taking-off being created by free or ducted propellers or by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0025 the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/10 of gas-turbine type jet aircraft B64D27/16
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/24 using steam or spring force jet aircraft B64D27/16
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/20 Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/65 Composite materials
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/12 Variable or detachable wings, e.g. wings with adjustable sweep
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/26 Ducted or shrouded rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/14 ducted or shrouded
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/042 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

An electric and hybrid Vertical-Take Off and Landing (“VTOL”) aircraft is disclosed comprising a plurality of small Electric Ducted Fans (“EDFs”) of various sizes and orientations. The thrust of each fixed EDF is individually controlled by modulation of motor power by one or more onboard microcomputers connected to a plurality of onboard laser distance measuring sensors, at least three onboard three-axis accelerometers and at least one GPS thereby allowing extremely precise and safe VTOL operation. The aircraft may be employed to allow robotic and passenger vehicles to transition extremely quickly between normal linear flight and VTOL and tb operate in extreme and gusty conditions.

Claims

1. A Vertical Take-Off and Landing (“

VTOL”

) aircraft comprising a plurality of electrically powered ducted fans, wherein;

a thrust of one or more of said fans is controlled by altering power supplied to a fan driving motor, and

said plurality of fans comprises a first plurality of vertically mounted fans having a first diameter for controlling said aircraft in a vertical direction and a second plurality of vertically mounted fans having a second diameter for controlling said aircraft in said vertical direction, wherein the ratio of said second diameter to said first diameter is greater than or equal to 1.5.

5. A Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more of said fans are powered by one or more batteries or other sources of electrical energy.

7. A Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft as claimed in claim 5, wherein said one or more batteries or other sources of electrical energy are recharged in flight by one or more electrical generators connected to one or more gas turbines or one or more internal combustion engines or one or more solar panels and/or one or more other sources of energy.

8. A Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more of said fans are powered by one or more electrical generators connected to one or more gas turbines or one or more internal combustion engines or one or more other sources of energy.

12. A Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor is controlled by Pulse Width Modulation (“

PWM”

).

14. A Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least some of said fans are arranged or operated so that:

in a mode of operation the net angular momentum of said fans is substantially zero so that said aircraft is not caused to rotate substantially about a given axis;

or

in a mode of operation the net angular momentum of said fans is arranged to be non-zero so that said aircraft may be caused to rotate in a controlled or desired manner.

22. A Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first plurality of vertically mounted fans comprises at least 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200 or 250 fans.

24. A Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second plurality of vertically mounted fans comprises at least 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200 or 250 fans.

26. A Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first or second plurality of vertically mounted fans comprises a first group of fans powered by one or more first batteries or first other sources of electrical energy and a second group of fans powered by one or more second batteries or second other sources of electrical energy wherein failure of said one or more first batteries or first other sources of electrical energy does not result in failure of said second group of fans.

27. A Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of fans comprises a third plurality of horizontally or laterally mounted fans for controlling said aircraft in a horizontal or lateral direction.

30. A Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft as claimed in claim 27, wherein said third plurality of horizontally or laterally mounted fans comprises a first group of fans mounted in a first horizontal direction and a second group of fans mounted in a second horizontal direction, wherein said second horizontal direction is substantially orthogonal to said first horizontal direction.

38. A Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more of said fans are rotatable or pivotable for thrust vectoring or for converting vertical thrust into thrust having a horizontal or lateral component or for converting horizontal or lateral thrust into thrust having a vertical component.

39. A Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft as claimed in claim 1, further comprising one or more distance determining devices or sensors for determining the vertical distance between one or more of said fans or other components of said aircraft and the ground or another location.

40. A Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft as claimed in claim 39, wherein said distance determining devices or sensors are selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a laser ranging time of flight sensor;

(ii) an inertial navigation system comprising one or more accelerometers;

(iii) a Global Positioning System (“

GPS”

) device;

(iv) a camera or video camera system; and

(v) an image recognition system.

43. A Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein said aircraft comprises a remotely controlled drone, a self-controlled drone, a remotely controlled passenger carrying aircraft or a pilot controlled aircraft.

48. A Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

(i) in a first mode of operation one or more vertically mounted fans and one or more horizontally or laterally mounted fans are used to control the flight of said aircraft; and

(ii) in a second mode of operation one or more horizontally or laterally mounted fans and one or more ailerons or rudders or flaps or other aircraft control surfaces are used to control the flight of said aircraft.

59. A Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

one or more propellers for propelling said aircraft in a horizontal direction or one or more turbo-fans or jet engines for propelling said aircraft in a horizontal direction.

64. A Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of sensors to determine flight parameters of said aircraft; and

one or more Electronic Speed Controllers (“

ESCs”

) arranged to receive sensor data from said plurality of sensors and to control a thrust of said aircraft by controlling the thrust of one or more of said fans.

2-4. -4. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

9-11. -11. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

15-21. -21. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

31-37. -37. (canceled)

41. (canceled)

42. (canceled)

44-47. -47. (canceled)

49-55. -55. (canceled)

56. A method of operating a Vertical Take-Off and Landing (“

VTOL”

) aircraft comprising;

using a plurality of electrically powered ducted fans to propel said aircraft, said plurality of fans comprises a first plurality of vertically mounted fans having a first diameter for controlling said aircraft in a vertical direction and a second plurality of vertically mounted fans having a second diameter for controlling said aircraft in said vertical direction, wherein the ratio of said second diameter to said first diameter is greater than or equal to 1.5; and

controlling a thrust of one or more of said fans by altering power supplied to a motor driving said fan.

58. A method of controlling a Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft during take-off or landing or transition from vertical to horizontal flight or transition from horizontal to vertical flight, said method comprising the method of claim 56 and further comprising at least one of:

(i) increasing, decreasing or varying power to at least some or all or said fans until one or more sensors determine that the distance between one or more of said fans or another component of said aircraft and the ground or another location is increasing, decreasing or remaining substantially constant;

(ii) switching between using first sensors and second sensors to determine the distance between one or more of said fans or another component of said aircraft and the ground or another location as said distance is determined to increase, decrease or remain substantially constant;

(iii) raising or lowering a landing gear;

(iv) determining a flight plan or receiving a flight plan and adjusting power to at least some or all or said fans so that said aircraft is guided along side flight plan;

(v) adjusting or formulating a new flight plan in response to sensor data or received instructions;

(vi) deploying or retracting a foldable or retractable aerofoil;

(vii) selecting or adjusting a flight angle or angle of attack;

(viii) sealing or covering one or more fans when said aircraft makes a transition from vertical to horizontal flight;

(ix) unsealing or uncovering one or more fans when said aircraft makes a transition from horizontal to vertical flight;

(x) propelling said aircraft in said vertical direction using said one or more fans; and

(xi) propelling said aircraft in a horizontal or lateral direction using one or more gas turbine engines.

57. (canceled)

60-63. -63. (canceled)

65-69. -69. (canceled)