Dual mode flight vehicle

• US 9,266,609 B1
• Filed: 10/20/2014
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Insitu Incorporated (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Insitu Incorporated (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Kunz, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Tien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woldemaryam, Assres H
• Application Number:
  US14/518,770
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 244/7.R
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 17/04 by pendular bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0008 having its flight directional axis horizontal when grounded
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0091 Accessories not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/10 All-wing aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings

Abstract

A fixed wing flight vehicle has wing, a center-mounted propulsion unit and a pod that is moveable between a center of the wing and a displaced position at or near one end of the wing. When the pod is at or near the center of the wing, that is, having a center of mass at or near a thrust vector of the propulsion unit, the flight vehicle flies with the characteristics of a regular fixed wing aircraft. However, when the pod is translated to the position at or near an end of the wing, an overall center of mass of the flight vehicle is substantially offset from the thrust vector of the propulsion unit. This causes the flight vehicle to spin like a samara, e.g., a maple seed, so that the flight vehicle can take off or land in a very limited space, much like a helicopter.

Claims

1. An aerial vehicle comprising:

a wing;

a propulsion unit coupled to the wing;

a pod moveably coupled to the wing; and

a translation mechanism that selectively moves the pod laterally along the wing between a first flight mode with thrust from the propulsion unit substantially in line with the center of mass of the aerial vehicle and a second flight mode with the center of mass of the aerial vehicle offset from the lateral centerline of the fixed wing.

2. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the propulsion unit is oriented to provide thrust substantially along a lateral centerline of the wing.

3. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein when the pod is at a first position substantially at a lateral centerline of the wing, a center of mass of the aerial vehicle is substantially aligned with the lateral centerline of the wing.

4. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein when the pod is at a second position substantially at an outboard end of the wing, a center of mass of the aerial vehicle is offset from a lateral centerline of the wing.

5. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the translation mechanism provides, in flight, one-time movement of the pod laterally along the wing.

6. The aerial vehicle of claim 5, wherein the translation mechanism is a spring.

7. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the translation mechanism provides, in flight, two-way movement laterally along the wing.

8. The aerial vehicle of claim 7, wherein the translation mechanism is a motor.

9. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the pod contains flight controls, a payload, and an energy source used to power the propulsion unit.

10. The aerial vehicle of claim 9, wherein the pod further contains the translation mechanism.

11. A method of enhancing operation of an aerial vehicle, the method comprising:

providing, in a first flight mode, for a center of mass of the aerial vehicle to be substantially along a lateral centerline of a fixed wing;

providing, in the first flight mode, thrust substantially in line with the center of mass of the aerial vehicle;

altering, in a second flight mode, the center of mass of the aerial vehicle to be offset from the lateral centerline of the fixed wing via a translation mechanism that selectively moves the pod laterally along the wing; and

providing, in the second flight mode, thrust offset from the center of mass of the aerial vehicle that causes the aerial vehicle to rotate about a rotational axis.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein altering the center of mass of the aerial vehicle comprises moving a pod between a first position generally aligned with the lateral centerline of the fixed wing and a second position away from the lateral centerline of the fixed wing.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the pod contains an energy source and a payload of the aerial vehicle.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein moving the pod comprises operating a motor in the pod to drive the pod along a track coupled to the fixed wing.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising operating the motor to move the pod from one of the first position to the second position or the second position to the first position.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein moving the pod comprises activating a spring to drive the pod along a track coupled to the fixed wing.

17. A method of enhancing operation of an aerial vehicle having a pod moveably attached to a fixed wing of the aerial vehicle, the method comprising:

setting the pod proximate to a centerline of the fixed wing for use in a first flight mode;

launching the aerial vehicle in the first flight mode using a propulsion unit that provides a thrust vector generally aligned with a center of mass of the aerial vehicle;

operating the aerial vehicle in the first flight mode as a fixed wing aerial vehicle;

moving the pod distal to the centerline of the fixed wing for operation of the aerial vehicle in a second flight mode via a translation mechanism that selectively moves the pod laterally along the wing wherein the center of mass of the aerial vehicle is offset from a lateral centerline of the fixed wing of the aerial vehicle;

recovering the aerial vehicle in the second flight mode using a vertical descent caused by rotation of the aerial vehicle about a rotational axis.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein recovering the aerial vehicle comprises recovering the aerial vehicle with the propulsion unit disabled.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

launching the aerial vehicle in the second flight mode in a vertical ascent using the rotation of the aerial vehicle powered by the propulsion unit.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the pod contains a payload and an energy source used to power the propulsion unit.