Multi-rotor aircraft

• US 9,499,263 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Curtis Youngblood
• Original Assignee: Curtis Youngblood
• Inventors: Youngblood, Curtis
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Tien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Giczy, Alexander V
• Application Number:
  US14/200,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20160137298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/12 Helicopters A63H27/04 takes precedence; Flying tops
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/70 Constructional aspects of the UAV body
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/297 Tilting rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 40/10 for adjusting control surfaces or rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/23 with each propulsion means having an individual motor

Abstract

A multi-rotor aircraft having a center boom from which extends three or more leg booms disposed generally perpendicular to the center boom and on which is mounted rotor bases that have a rotor rotation mechanism and The center boom has a rotating drive shaft, and at least one drive pulley is mounted on an end of the center boom aft of the three or more leg booms. In another aspect the invention is a flight control module programmed for control of a multi-rotor aircraft craft and methods of control of a multi-rotor aircraft in flight.

Claims

1. A multi-rotor aircraft comprising a hollow center boom housing a rotating drive shaft, wherein from said center boom extends three or more leg booms, the leg booms disposed substantially perpendicular to the center boom, and on which each leg boom is mounted a rotor base that has rotor rotation means and rotor blades;

and having at least one drive pulley mounted on an end of the center boom, wherein one of the at least one drive pulley that is mounted at the end of the center boom is aft of the three or more leg booms.

2. The multi-rotor aircraft of claim 1 also comprising:

a drive means capable of connection to rotor rotation means on the rotor bases to rotate rotor blades;

a radio control receiver;

a flight control module;

servomotors that are connected to and function to control rotor blade pitch capable of receiving signals from the flight control module.

3. The multi-rotor aircraft of claim 2 wherein there are a plurality of drive means separately connected to rotor bases, each drive means capable of separate control.

4. The multi-rotor aircraft of claim 2 wherein the drive means is selected from the group of an electric motor, a nitro motor, a gas powered motor and a turbine.

5. The multi-rotor aircraft of claim 2 wherein the flight control module is programmed to apply functions to control stability of take-off flight and stability of landings.

6. The multi-rotor aircraft of claim 1 wherein the center boom is disposed in a horizontal plane and the leg booms are disposed relative to the center boom in the same horizontal plane as the center boom or are tilted upward or downward from the horizontal plane of the center boom.

7. The multi-rotor aircraft of claim 1 wherein the center boom is disposed in a horizontal plane and the rotor bases and the rotor blades are tilted forward or backward relative perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the center boom.

8. The multi-rotor aircraft of claim 1 wherein the drive shaft located in the center boom is connected to the rotor rotation means.

9. The multi-rotor aircraft of claim 1 also comprising a canopy pivot and latching system and centrally supported landing struts.

10. The multi-rotor aircraft of claim 1 wherein the leg booms are capable of twisting relative to each other for improved Yaw performance.

11. The multi-rotor aircraft of claim 1 comprising an H frame construction and wherein the frame is constructed of material and sized so as to flex under the forces of the aircraft when in operation.