Reduced visibility rotorcraft and method of controlling flight of reduced visibility rotorcraft

• US 7,101,246 B1
• Filed: 07/26/2005
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Veratech Aero-RPV Corporation
• Original Assignee: Veratech Aero-RPV Corporation
• Inventors: Dammar, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, TIEN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US11/189,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20060214051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 244/17.11, 244/23.B, 446/34, 446/36, 446/37, 446/38, 446/57, 446/58, 446/46, D12/326, D12/327
• US Class Current: 446/36
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/00 Rotorcraft; Rotors peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/00 Aircraft not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/10 for stealth, e.g. reduction of cross-section detectable by radars
• 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 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/12 using turbine engines, e.g. turbojets or turbofans
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/15 using combustion exhausts other than turbojets or turbofans, e.g. using rockets, ramjets, scramjets or pulse-reactors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors

Abstract

A rotary aircraft (rotorcraft) in which the entire aircraft rotates about its center of mass as it flies, and in which the center of mass is located external to the aircraft in the generally triangular region formed by the aircraft'"'"'s single wing and two propellers. As the aircraft flies, the two propellers provide torque about the center of mass and rotate the wing, which provides lift for the aircraft. The aircraft is controllable via a stationary radio transmitter that sends commands for pitch, roll, yaw and altitude. A receiver in the aircraft uses the transmitted signal to establish the aircraft'"'"'s instantaneous orientation in combination with the sent commands to generate control signals that drive the propeller motors that affect the aircraft'"'"'s attitude. Pitch and roll are controlled by pulse width modulation of the propeller motor voltages in order to affect the thrust at specific portions of the aircraft'"'"'s rotation cycle.

Claims

1. A method for reducing the visibility of a rotorcraft during rotational flight, comprising:

providing a rotorcraft having a wing, at least one thrust generator operatively connected to the wing, and a center of mass that is located external to the rotorcraft and wherein the rotorcraft rotates about the center of mass;

flying the rotorcraft so that substantially the entire rotorcraft rotates during flight; and

utilizing persistence of vision to reduce visibility of the rotating rotorcraft.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising ensuring that the rotorcraft'"'"'s center of mass is not surrounded by the rotorcraft'"'"'s body.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising ensuring that the center of mass is substantially visually transparent when viewed from the ground during the rotorcraft'"'"'s rotational flight.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing a rotorcraft having at least two thrust generators operatively connected to the wing.

5. A method for reducing the visibility of a rotorcraft during rotational flight, comprising:

providing a rotorcraft having a wing and at least two thrust generators connected to the wing;

locating the rotorcraft'"'"'s center of mass outside the rotorcraft and between the at least two thrust generators, wherein the rotorcraft rotates about the center of mass;

ensuring that the center of mass is substantially visually transparent when viewed from the ground during the rotorcraft'"'"'s rotational flight; and

utilizing persistence of vision to reduce visibility of the rotating rotorcraft.