Multicopter with wide span rotor configuration and protective fuselage

• US 9,944,386 B1
• Filed: 07/13/2017
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
• Inventors: Reichert, Todd, Robertson, Cameron, Cutler, Mark Johnson
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P
• Application Number:
  US15/649,293
• Time in Patent Office: 278 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/54 Floats
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/001 Vibration damping devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/08 with two or more rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/20 Rotorcraft characterised by having shrouded rotors, e.g. flying platforms

Abstract

An aircraft includes a plurality of rotors and a fuselage. The plurality of rotors are attached to the aircraft at a fixed roll angle and a fixed pitch angle and the plurality of rotors rotate independently of one another. The fuselage includes a side wall with a top edge where the top edge of the side wall is higher than the plurality of rotors.

Claims

1. An aircraft, comprising:

a plurality of rotors, wherein;

the plurality of rotors are attached to the aircraft at a fixed roll angle and a fixed pitch angle;

the plurality of rotors rotate independently of one another; and

the plurality of rotors include;

an outer back rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a highest height associated with the plurality of rotors;

an outer front rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a second highest height associated with the plurality of rotors;

an inner back rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a third highest height associated with the plurality of rotors;

an inner front rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a lowest height associated with the plurality of rotors; and

an inner middle rotor which is attached to the aircraft at the lowest height associated with the plurality of rotors; and

a fuselage which includes a side wall with a top edge, wherein the top edge of the side wall is higher than the plurality of rotors.

2. The aircraft recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of rotors further include:

a right inner front rotor which is configured to rotate in a first direction;

a right outer front rotor which is configured to rotate in the first direction;

a right inner middle rotor which is configured to rotate in a second direction;

a right outer back rotor which is configured to rotate in the second direction;

a right inner back rotor which is configured to rotate in the first direction;

a left inner back rotor which is configured to rotate in the second direction;

a left outer back rotor which is configured to rotate in the first direction;

a left inner middle rotor which is configured to rotate in the first direction;

a left outer front rotor which is configured to rotate in the second direction; and

a left inner front rotor which is configured to rotate in the second direction.

3. The aircraft recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of rotors further include:

a right inner front rotor which is configured to rotate in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from above;

a right outer front rotor which is configured to rotate in the counterclockwise direction when viewed from above;

a right inner middle rotor which is configured to rotate in a clockwise direction when viewed from above;

a right outer back rotor which is configured to rotate in the clockwise direction when viewed from above;

a right inner back rotor which is configured to rotate in the counterclockwise direction when viewed from above;

a left inner back rotor which is configured to rotate in the clockwise direction when viewed from above;

a left outer back rotor which is configured to rotate in the counterclockwise direction when viewed from above;

a left inner middle rotor which is configured to rotate in the counterclockwise direction when viewed from above;

a left outer front rotor which is configured to rotate in the clockwise direction when viewed from above; and

a left inner front rotor which is configured to rotate in the clockwise direction when viewed from above.

4. The aircraft recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of rotors further include:

a right inner front rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a positive roll angle and a zero pitch angle; and

a left inner front rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a negative roll angle and a zero pitch angle.

5. The aircraft recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of rotors further include:

a right outer front rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a negative roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

a right inner middle rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a negative roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

a right outer back rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a negative roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

a right inner back rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a negative roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

a left inner back rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a positive roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

a left outer back rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a positive roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

a left inner middle rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a positive roll angle and a negative pitch angle; and

a left outer front rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a positive roll angle and a negative pitch angle.

6. The aircraft recited in claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of rotors further include;

a right outer front rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a negative roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

a right inner middle rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a negative roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

a right outer back rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a negative roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

a right inner back rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a negative roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

a left inner back rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a positive roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

a left outer back rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a positive roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

a left inner middle rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a positive roll angle and a negative pitch angle; and

a left outer front rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a positive roll angle and a negative pitch angle; and

the plurality of rotors are attached to the aircraft at roll angles and pitch angles with magnitudes in the range of 0 degrees and 10 degrees.

7. The aircraft recited in claim 1, wherein the fuselage narrows at the midsection of the fuselage.

8. The aircraft recited in claim 1, wherein the fuselage narrows at the midsection of the fuselage creating an overhang beneath which at least part of an inner middle rotor rotates.

9. The aircraft recited in claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of rotors are attached to the aircraft at heights in the range of 45 cm-55 cm.

10. The aircraft recited in claim 1, wherein the fuselage further includes a headrest with a cutout.

11. An aircraft, comprising:

a plurality of rotors, wherein;

the plurality of rotors are attached to the aircraft at a fixed roll angle and a fixed pitch angle; and

the plurality of rotors rotate independently of one another;

a fuselage which includes a side wall with a top edge, wherein the top edge of the side wall is higher than the plurality of rotors; and

a left float and a right float, wherein;

a left inner front rotor, a left inner middle rotor, and a left inner back rotor are attached to the left float;

a right inner front rotor, a right inner middle rotor, and a right inner back rotor are attached to the right float;

the left float includes a first plurality of batteries for the left inner front rotor, the left inner middle rotor, the left inner back rotor, a left out front rotor, and a left outer back rotor; and

the right float includes a second plurality of batteries for the right inner front rotor, the right inner middle rotor, the right inner back rotor, a right out front rotor, and a right outer back rotor.

12. The aircraft recited in claim 11, wherein:

the left float includes at least one access panel on a top surface of the left float; and

the right float includes at least one access panel on a top surface of the right float.

13. The aircraft recited in claim 11, wherein the plurality of rotors include:

the right inner front rotor which is configured to rotate in a first direction;

the right outer front rotor which is configured to rotate in the first direction;

the right inner middle rotor which is configured to rotate in a second direction;

the right outer back rotor which is configured to rotate in the second direction;

the right inner back rotor which is configured to rotate in the first direction;

the left inner back rotor which is configured to rotate in the second direction;

the left outer back rotor which is configured to rotate in the first direction;

the left inner middle rotor which is configured to rotate in the first direction;

the left outer front rotor which is configured to rotate in the second direction; and

the left inner front rotor which is configured to rotate in the second direction.

14. The aircraft recited in claim 11, wherein the plurality of rotors include:

the right inner front rotor which is configured to rotate in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from above;

the right outer front rotor which is configured to rotate in the counterclockwise direction when viewed from above;

the right inner middle rotor which is configured to rotate in a clockwise direction when viewed from above;

the right outer back rotor which is configured to rotate in the clockwise direction when viewed from above;

the right inner back rotor which is configured to rotate in the counterclockwise direction when viewed from above;

the left inner back rotor which is configured to rotate in the clockwise direction when viewed from above;

the left outer back rotor which is configured to rotate in the counterclockwise direction when viewed from above;

the left inner middle rotor which is configured to rotate in the counterclockwise direction when viewed from above;

the left outer front rotor which is configured to rotate in the clockwise direction when viewed from above; and

the left inner front rotor which is configured to rotate in the clockwise direction when viewed from above.

15. The aircraft recited in claim 11, wherein the plurality of rotors include:

the right inner front rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a positive roll angle and a zero pitch angle; and

the left inner front rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a negative roll angle and a zero pitch angle.

16. The aircraft recited in claim 11, wherein the plurality of rotors include:

the right outer front rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a negative roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

the right inner middle rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a negative roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

the right outer back rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a negative roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

the right inner back rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a negative roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

the left inner back rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a positive roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

the left outer back rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a positive roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

the left inner middle rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a positive roll angle and a negative pitch angle; and

the left outer front rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a positive roll angle and a negative pitch angle.

17. The aircraft recited in claim 11, wherein:

the plurality of rotors include;

the right outer front rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a negative roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

the right inner middle rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a negative roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

the right outer back rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a negative roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

the right inner back rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a negative roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

the left inner back rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a positive roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

the left outer back rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a positive roll angle and a negative pitch angle;

the left inner middle rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a positive roll angle and a negative pitch angle; and

the left outer front rotor which is attached to the aircraft at a positive roll angle and a negative pitch angle; and

the plurality of rotors are attached to the aircraft at roll angles and pitch angles with magnitudes in the range of 0 degrees and 10 degrees.

18. The aircraft recited in claim 11, wherein the fuselage narrows at the midsection of the fuselage.

19. The aircraft recited in claim 11, wherein the fuselage narrows at the midsection of the fuselage creating an overhang beneath which at least part of an inner middle rotor rotates.

20. The aircraft recited in claim 11, wherein the plurality of rotors are attached to the aircraft at heights in the range of 45 cm-55 cm.

21. The aircraft recited in claim 11, wherein the fuselage further includes a headrest with a cutout.