System and method for operation and management of reconfigurable unmanned aircraft
First Claim
1. A method of configuring an aircraft having a set of repositionable rotors for unmanned flight on a mission to carry a payload from an initial configuration into a configuration for the mission, the aircraft including a base and the set of repositionable rotors being coupled to the base, the method comprising:
- (a) determining properties of the payload including at least mass properties;
(b) determining the manner in which the payload will be coupled to the aircraft;
(c) determining a configuration for the mission for each of the rotors in the set of rotors at least partially in consideration of the properties of the payload; and
(d) positioning the set of rotors into the configuration for the mission for the aircraft to perform the mission, wherein configuration of one of the rotors on a boom relative to the base is modifiable by (1) translation of the rotor relative to the boom.
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Abstract
A reconfigurable unmanned aircraft system is disclosed. A system and method for configuring a reconfigurable unmanned aircraft and system and method for operation and management of a reconfigurable unmanned aircraft in an airspace are also disclosed. The aircraft is selectively reconfigurable to modify flight characteristics. The aircraft comprises a set of rotors. The position of at least one rotor relative to the base can be modified by at least one of translation of the rotor relative to the boom, pivoting of the boom relative to the base, and translation of the boom relative to the base; so that flight characteristics can be modified by configuration of position of at least one rotor relative to the base. A method of configuring an aircraft having a set of rotors on a mission to carry a payload comprises the steps of determining properties of the payload including at least mass properties, determining the manner in which the payload will be coupled to the aircraft, determining configuration for each of the rotors in the set of rotors at least partially in consideration of the properties of the payload, and positioning the set of rotors in the configuration for the aircraft to perform the mission.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method of configuring an aircraft having a set of repositionable rotors for unmanned flight on a mission to carry a payload from an initial configuration into a configuration for the mission, the aircraft including a base and the set of repositionable rotors being coupled to the base, the method comprising:
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(a) determining properties of the payload including at least mass properties; (b) determining the manner in which the payload will be coupled to the aircraft; (c) determining a configuration for the mission for each of the rotors in the set of rotors at least partially in consideration of the properties of the payload; and (d) positioning the set of rotors into the configuration for the mission for the aircraft to perform the mission, wherein configuration of one of the rotors on a boom relative to the base is modifiable by (1) translation of the rotor relative to the boom. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of operating a reconfigurable multi-rotor unmanned aircraft having flight characteristics for a mission including flight with payload in operating conditions, the aircraft including a base and each of the rotors being coupled to the base by a boom, the method comprising:
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(a) configuring the aircraft in an ascent configuration with flight characteristics for ascent to start a flight; and (b) configuring the aircraft in a first flight configuration with flight characteristics for flight in operating conditions; wherein configuring the aircraft comprises positioning of at least one rotor of the aircraft into the configuration, wherein configuration of one of the rotors relative to the base is modifiable by (1) translation of the rotor relative to the boom; and wherein flight characteristics of the aircraft include consideration of properties of any payload carried by the aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of managing a fleet of reconfigurable aircraft of a type having a set of rotors to provide thrust for unmanned flight to perform a set of missions, each of the aircraft including a base and at least one rotor coupled to the base by a boom, the method comprising:
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1. configuring a first aircraft in a first configuration to perform a first mission; and 2. configuring a second aircraft in a second configuration to perform a second mission; wherein the first aircraft is substantially the same as the second aircraft; wherein configuring one of the aircraft includes positioning at least one rotor of the set of rotors of the aircraft to provide for intended flight characteristics, and wherein positioning at least one rotor of the set of rotors includes modifying the position of at least one rotor by (1) translation of the rotor relative to the boom; and wherein each of a plurality of aircraft in the fleet is configurable into a configuration to perform each of a plurality of missions. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification