Remotely controlled micro/nanoscale aerial vehicle comprising a system for traveling on the ground, vertical takeoff, and landing

• US 9,145,207 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2012
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanderson, Joseph W
• Application Number:
  US14/008,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20140319266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

An aerial micro-drone having a fixed wing supporting a propulsion device. The micro-drone has 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 is located in front of the center of gravity of the micro-drone. The center of gravity of the micro-drone is 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 remote-controlled fixed-wing microdrone, comprising:

a fixed wing having a longitudinal vertical plane of symmetry XZ, having at least one propulsion device mounted on the fixed wing; and

a pair of side wheels attached to the lateral ends of the fixed wing of the microdrone, the wheels having an axis of rotation Y1 parallel to a transverse axis Y of the microdrone,

wherein, the side wheels have a diameter D such that the propulsion device and the fixed wing do not project beyond a 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 a longitudinal axis X, forward of a 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 an 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 an axis of thrust of the propulsion device.

5. The microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the side wheels can be removed from the wing 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 the wheel 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 device, the curvature of the spokes matching a profile of the wing, such that the 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 a vehicle hub by a collection of spokes, wherein the side wheels substantially planar, the spokes of each wheel 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 a common axis, parallel to the aircraft transverse axis.

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

11. The microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein the vehicle comprises two vertical stabilizers, perpendicular to the plane of the wing, each attached to one of the elevons, 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 the vertical stabilizers are in a neutral non deflected position, the end of each of the 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 the 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 device comprise two counter-rotating propellers arranged on the forward portion of the wing, with respect to a longitudinal axis X, located on opposite sides of the longitudinal vertical plane of symmetry XZ of the microscale vehicle.

15. The microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein the vehicle 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; and

,

starting the propulsion device.

17. A method for controlling a microscale vehicle as claimed in claim 9 along any inclined surface, comprising providing a control step of changing the inclination of the elevons, to keep a component of the thrust of the propulsion device oriented toward the surface, so as to allow the microscale vehicle to roll on the inclined surface.

18. A kit for converting a remote-controlled fixed-wing microdrone having a longitudinal vertical plane of symmetry XZ, said microdrone having a propulsion device affixed to a fixed wing, wherein the kit comprises;

a pair of side wheels, and

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

wherein, the side wheels have a diameter D such that the propulsion device and the fixed wing of the microdrone do not project beyond the cylinder defined by the side wheels when said wheels are installed on the microdrone.