REMOTELY CONTROLLED MICRO/NANOSCALE AERIAL VEHICLE COMPRISING A SYSTEM FOR TRAVELING ON THE GROUND, VERTICAL TAKEOFF, AND LANDING

• US 20140319266A1
• Filed: 03/27/2012
• Published: 10/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace
• Original Assignee: Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace
• Inventors: Moschetta, Jean-Marc, Thipyopas, Chinnapat
• Granted Patent: US 9,145,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/13
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/36 Arrangements or adaptations of wheels, tyres or axles in general
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/06 mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/20 Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/70 Convertible aircraft, e.g. convertible into land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/80 UAVs characterised by their small size, e.g. micro air vehicles [MAV]
• 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 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/30 detachable from the body
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/60 Take-off or landing of UAVs from a runway using their own power

Abstract

A microscale radio-controlled aerial micro-drone vehicle, having a fixed wing (as opposed to a rotary wing) having a propulsion device the vehicle including wheels for traveling on the ground, which are attached to the side ends of a section of the wing. The rotational axis Y1 of the wheels being located in front of the center of gravity of the micro-drone, the center of gravity of the micro-drone being located in front of the aerodynamic center of the micro-drone. The rotational axis Y1 of the wheels being aligned with the thrust axis of the propulsion device and the wheels are sized such that the radius D/2 thereof is greater than the distance between the rotational axis Y1 of the wheels and the trailing edge of the wing.

Claims

1. A microscale aerial vehicle comprising a remote-controlled fixed-wing microdrone, having a longitudinal vertical plane of symmetry XZ, said microdrone comprising propulsion means

wherein it comprises side wheels attached to the lateral ends of a wing of the fixed wing surface of the microdrone, the axis of rotation Y1 of the side wheels being parallel to the transverse axis Y of the microdrone,

the side wheels having a diameter D such that the propulsion means and the fixed wing surface do not project beyond the cylinder defined by the two side wheels.

2. The microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axis of rotation Y1 of the side wheels is arranged, with respect to the longitudinal axis X, forward of the center of gravity of the microdrone.

3. The microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the center of gravity of the microdrone is located, with respect to the longitudinal axis X, forward of the aerodynamic center of the microdrone.

4. The microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axis of rotation Y1 of the side wheels is aligned with the axis of thrust of the propulsion means.

5. The microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the side wheels can be removed from the wing simply by pulling on the wheel hubs.

6. The microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axis of rotation Y1 of the wheels is located in the forward portion of the wing, at a distance from the nearby leading edge which is between 5 and 20% of the chord of the wing.

7. The microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein each side wheel is connected to its hub by a collection of spokes, wherein these spokes curve inward, each side wheel being located in a longitudinal plane XZ close to the longitudinal axis of a propulsion means, the curvature of the spokes matching the profile of the wing, such that this profile does not project beyond this curvature of the spokes.

8. The microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein each side wheel is connected to its hub by a collection of spokes, wherein the side wheels substantially planar, their spokes being coplanar.

9. The microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wing comprises two elevons located on either side of the longitudinal plane XZ of the microdrone, attached to the rear portion of the wing and articulated about one and the same transverse axis.

10. The microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein it comprises means for controlling the elevons independently from one another.

11. The microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of these elevons is secured to a vertical stabilizer which is perpendicular to the plane of the wing, these vertical stabilizers extending in opposite directions, such that movements of the elevons result in deflections of the vertical stabilizers.

12. The microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the vertical stabilizers of the microdrone are dimensioned such that, when they are in the neutral position, i.e. not deflected, the end of each of these vertical stabilizers projects slightly and in the opposite direction beyond the cylinder defined by the wheels.

13. The microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein these ends are located in a plane which is tangential to the cylinder defined by the wheels.

14. The microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the propulsion means comprise two counter-rotating propellers arranged on the forward portion of the wing, with respect to the longitudinal axis X, on either side of the longitudinal vertical plane of symmetry XZ of the microscale vehicle.

15. The microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein it comprises means for controlling the operation of the propellers independently of one another.

16. A method for controlling a microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 12 when on the ground, said method comprising:

deflecting the elevons so as to tilt the fuselage,

starting the propulsion means.

17. A method for controlling a microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 1 along any inclined surface, in particular a wall or ceiling, comprising a control step of keeping a component of the thrust of the propulsion means oriented toward this surface.

18. A kit for converting a remote-controlled fixed-wing microdrone, having a longitudinal vertical plane of symmetry XZ, said microdrone comprising propulsion means

wherein the kit comprises what are termed side wheels,

means for attaching said side wheels to the lateral ends of a wing of the fixed wing surface of the microdrone, the axis of rotation Y1 of the side wheels being parallel to the transverse axis Y of the microdrone,

the side wheels having a diameter D such that the propulsion means and the fixed wing surface of the microdrone do not project beyond the cylinder defined by the side wheels when these are installed on the microdrone.