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US 10,518,875 B2Granted
Vertical take-off aircraft
AssigneeAirbus Defence and Space GmbH
InventorsMichael Judas, Clemens Gerlach, Thomas Krauss, Berthold Karrais
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aircraft is provided, which comprises a support structure and at least four lift rotors. Each of the lift rotors is attached to the support structure and comprises at least one propeller. The lift rotors are constituted such that a rotational plane, in which the at least one propeller of the lift rotor rotates, is tilted with respect to a plane formed by the support structure.
Claims12
An aircraft, comprising:
- a support structure;
- a flight controller;
- a first pair of lift rotors comprising a first lift rotor and a second lift rotor lying diagonally opposite with respect to a center of gravity of the aircraft;
- and
- a second pair of lift rotors comprising a third lift rotor and a fourth lift rotor lying diagonally opposite with respect to the center of gravity of the aircraft, the first lift rotor and the third lift rotor located on one side of a longitudinal axis of the aircraft, and the second lift rotor and the fourth lift rotor located on another side of the longitudinal axis of the aircraft;
- wherein the first lift rotor and the second lift rotor have a first rotational direction, and the third lift rotor and the fourth lift rotor have a second rotational direction that is opposite the first rotational direction;
- wherein each of the lift rotors is attached to the support structure and comprises at least one propeller,
- wherein each of the lift rotors is formed such that a rotational plane, in which the at least one propeller of the lift rotor rotates, is tilted outwards with respect to a plane formed by the support structure,
- wherein rotational planes of the first lift rotor and the second lift rotor are tilted outward or inward by a first angle, and rotational planes of the third lift rotor and the fourth lift rotor are tilted outward or inward by a second angle that is different than the first angle,
- wherein tilt of each of the lift rotors is such that the lift rotor generates a thrust which has a vertical thrust component and a horizontal thrust component, the horizontal thrust component being directed outwards of the aircraft and normal to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft in a main flight direction, and
- wherein the flight controller controls yawing of the aircraft around the center of gravity of the aircraft by increasing rotational speed of the first pair of lift rotors, and by decreasing rotational speed of the second pair of lift rotors by a corresponding amount, to maintain a hover state of the aircraft while generating torque around a vertical axis of the aircraft.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.