Modular Electric VTOL Aircraft

• US 20160311529A1
• Filed: 12/17/2014
• Published: 10/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Neva Aerospace Limited
• Original Assignee: Neva Aerospace Limited
• Inventors: Martin, Laurent, Brotherton-Ratcliffe, David
• Application Number:
  US15/104,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20160311529A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2027/8227 comprising more than one rotor
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2211/00 Modular constructions of airplanes or helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/30 with provision for reducing drag of inoperative rotor
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0033 the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 37/02 Flying units formed by separate aircraft towing B64D3/00; aircraft transported by aircraft B64D5/00; air-refuelling B64D39/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2041/002 Mounting arrangements for auxiliary power units (APU's)
• 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 35/04 characterised by the transmission driving a plurality of propellers or rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 35/06 the propellers or rotors being counter-rotating
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/20 Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/24 Coaxial rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/26 Ducted or shrouded rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/14 ducted or shrouded
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/83 using parachutes, balloons or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/166 Mechanical, construction or arrangement details of inertial navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan

Abstract

A VTOL aircraft is disclosed comprising a plurality of autonomous lifting modules wherein each autonomous lifting module is composed of a physical structure in which are mounted one or more electric ducted fans, an electrical energy storage system to drive the electric ducted fans, a charging and energy storage monitoring system to charge and monitor the electrical energy storage system, an inertial navigation system, electronic speed controllers to control the electric ducted fans and one or more microcomputers assuring (a) module flight stability by control of the electric ducted fans given the input of the inertial navigation system, (b) flight planning and (c) inter-module communication.

Claims

1. A VTOL aircraft composed of or comprising a plurality of autonomous lifting modules wherein each said autonomous lifting module is composed of a physical structure in which are mounted:

one or more electric ducted fans;

an electrical energy storage system to drive said electric ducted fans;

a charging and energy storage monitoring system to charge and monitor said electrical energy storage system;

an inertial navigation system;

electronic speed controllers to control said electric ducted fans; and

one or more microcomputers assuring (a) module flight stability by control of said electric ducted fans given the input of said inertial navigation system, (b) flight planning and (c) inter-module communication.

2. A VTOL aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electric ducted fans comprise counter-rotating electric ducted fans comprising two brushless motors and two counter-rotating propellers.

3. A VTOL aircraft as claimed in claim 1, further comprising supplementary shape modules to provide the aircraft with a desired shape.

4. A VTOL aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more of said modules have additionally one or more sets of movable vanes in order to close the upper and/or lower module surfaces in linear flight mode and to effect thrust vectoring in VTOL mode.

5. A VTOL aircraft as claimed in claim 1, further comprising one or more gas turbine thrust modules and one or more fuel tank modules to provide the aircraft with additional thrust and flight autonomy.

6. A VTOL aircraft as claimed in claim 1, further comprising one or more auxiliary power unit (“

APU”

) modules and one or more fuel tank modules to provide the aircraft with additional thrust and flight autonomy.

7. A VTOL aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more of said modules assemble themselves, in use, in the air.

8. A method of constructing an aircraft comprising:

combining a plurality of modules wherein each said module comprises a physical structure in which are mounted;

(i) one or more electric ducted fans;

(ii) an electrical energy storage system to drive said electric ducted fans;

(iii) a charging and energy storage monitoring system to charge and monitor said electrical energy storage system;

(iv) an inertial navigation system;

(v) electronic speed controllers to control said electric ducted fans; and

(vi) one or more microcomputers for assuring;

(a) module flight stability by control of said electric ducted fans given the input of said inertial navigation system;

(b) flight planning; and

(c) inter-module communication.