Zero Transition Vertical Take-Off and Landing Aircraft
First Claim
1. A zero transition vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprises:
- an airframe;
a front thruster assembly;
a rear thruster assembly;
the airframe comprises an at least one wing;
each of the at least one wing comprises a leading wing edge and a trailing wing edge;
a center of gravity;
a longitudinal axis traversing through the center of gravity;
a lateral axis traversing through the center of gravity and being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
a first plane being coincident with the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis;
a wing intersection axis, a front intersection axis, and a rear intersection axis being parallel to the lateral axis;
a wing chord plane being coincident with the leading wing edge and the trailing wing edge;
the wing chord plane being coincident with the first plane along the wing intersection axis;
a rear thruster plane being coincident with the wing chord plane along the rear intersection axis;
the rear thruster assembly being positioned normal to the rear thruster plane, wherein the rear thruster assembly produces thrust normal to the rear thruster plane;
a front thruster plane being coincident with the rear thruster plane along the front intersection axis;
the front thruster assembly being positioned normal to the front thruster plane, wherein the front thruster assembly produces thrust normal to the front thruster plane;
the front thruster assembly being positioned adjacent to the center of gravity along the longitudinal axis; and
the rear thruster assembly being positioned adjacent to the center of gravity along the longitudinal axis and opposite to the front thruster assembly.
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Abstract
A zero transition vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, which is stable in all levels of flight, especially the transition phase from vertical to horizontal flight. The zero transition VTOL aircraft is capable of achieving both vertical and horizontal flight without changing the positioning of thrusters, such as through the use of tiltable or rotatable nacelles or wings. Rather a front thruster assembly and a rear thruster assembly are positioned at specific angles in relation to each other along at least one fuselage in order to generate the desired ratio of vertical to horizontal thrust. At least one wing is also positioned at a specific wing angle in order to achieve a desired angle of attack when in horizontal flight. The attitude of the zero transition VTOL aircraft can be controlled through the use of differential thrust alone, or in conjunction with control surfaces.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A zero transition vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprises:
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an airframe; a front thruster assembly; a rear thruster assembly; the airframe comprises an at least one wing; each of the at least one wing comprises a leading wing edge and a trailing wing edge; a center of gravity; a longitudinal axis traversing through the center of gravity; a lateral axis traversing through the center of gravity and being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; a first plane being coincident with the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis; a wing intersection axis, a front intersection axis, and a rear intersection axis being parallel to the lateral axis; a wing chord plane being coincident with the leading wing edge and the trailing wing edge; the wing chord plane being coincident with the first plane along the wing intersection axis; a rear thruster plane being coincident with the wing chord plane along the rear intersection axis; the rear thruster assembly being positioned normal to the rear thruster plane, wherein the rear thruster assembly produces thrust normal to the rear thruster plane; a front thruster plane being coincident with the rear thruster plane along the front intersection axis; the front thruster assembly being positioned normal to the front thruster plane, wherein the front thruster assembly produces thrust normal to the front thruster plane; the front thruster assembly being positioned adjacent to the center of gravity along the longitudinal axis; and the rear thruster assembly being positioned adjacent to the center of gravity along the longitudinal axis and opposite to the front thruster assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification