System and method for operation and management of reconfigurable unmanned aircraft
First Claim
1. A method of reconfiguring a selectively reconfigurable unmanned aircraft having a base, a first rotor on a first boom coupled to the base and a second rotor on a second boom coupled to the base for a mission to carry a payload, the method comprising:
- (a) determining an effect of the payload on flight characteristics;
(b) modifying position of at least one rotor relative to the base;
wherein the position of at least one of the first and second rotors relative to the base are modifiable by at least one of (1) translation of at least one of the first and second rotors relative to the first and second booms, respectively;
(2) pivoting of at least one of the first and second booms relative to the base; and
(3) translation of at least one of the first and second booms relative to the base;
so that flight characteristics are modifiable by reconfiguration of position of at least one of the first and second rotors relative to the base.
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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.
134 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method of reconfiguring a selectively reconfigurable unmanned aircraft having a base, a first rotor on a first boom coupled to the base and a second rotor on a second boom coupled to the base for a mission to carry a payload, the method comprising:
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(a) determining an effect of the payload on flight characteristics; (b) modifying position of at least one rotor relative to the base; wherein the position of at least one of the first and second rotors relative to the base are modifiable by at least one of (1) translation of at least one of the first and second rotors relative to the first and second booms, respectively;
(2) pivoting of at least one of the first and second booms relative to the base; and
(3) translation of at least one of the first and second booms relative to the base;so that flight characteristics are modifiable by reconfiguration of position of at least one of the first and second rotors relative to the base. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A selectively reconfigurable aircraft for unmanned flight with payload providing flight characteristics comprising:
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(a) a base; (b) a first rotor on a first boom coupled to the base; (c) a second rotor on a second boom coupled to the base; (d) a monitoring system configured to monitor conditions of the aircraft including a payload; wherein position of the first rotor relative to the base is modifiable by at least one of (1) translation of the first rotor relative to the first boom;
(2) pivoting of the first boom relative to the base; and
(3) translation of the first boom relative to the base;wherein position of the second rotor relative to the base is modifiable by at least one of (1) translation of the second rotor relative to the second boom;
(2) pivoting of the second boom relative to the base; and
(3) translation of the second boom relative to the base;so that flight characteristics are modifiable by reconfiguration of the position of at least one of the first and second rotors relative to the base. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification