# US 10,870,487 B2 · Logistics support aircraft having a minimal drag configuration

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- Number: US 10,870,487 B2
- Document ID: US10870487B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/427,311
- Filed: 2019-05-30
- Published: 2020-02-27
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-01
- Assignees: Bell Textron Inc.
- Applicants: Bell Textron Inc.
- Inventors: John Richard McCullough; Paul K. Oldroyd; Glenn Edward Isbell, Jr.; Matthew John Hill
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870487B2

## CPC

- B64C 29/02: having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded
- G05D 1/0858: {specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft}
- B64C 39/06: having disc- or ring-shaped wings
- B64D 1/08: the articles being load-carrying devices
- B64D 25/12: Ejectable capsules
- B64U 30/10: Wings
- B64U 30/20: Rotors; Rotor supports
- B64U 50/19: using electrically powered motors
- G05D 1/0011: {associated with a remote control arrangement}
- B64U 10/20: Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft (flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17)
- B64U 50/11: using internal combustion piston engines
- B64U 2101/69: the UAVs provided with means for airdropping goods, e.g. deploying a parachute during descent
- B64U 2201/00: UAVs characterised by their flight controls
- B64U 2201/20: Remote controls
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR

## Abstract

An aircraft is operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. The aircraft includes an airframe having first and second wings with first and second pylons extending therebetween forming a central region. A two-dimensional distributed thrust array and a flight control system are coupled to the airframe. A nose cone and an afterbody are each selectively coupled to the airframe. In a cargo delivery flight configuration, the nose cone and the afterbody are coupled to the airframe such that the nose cone and the afterbody each extend between the first and second wings and between first and second pylons to form a cargo enclosure with an aerodynamic outer shape. In a minimal drag flight configuration, the nose cone and the afterbody are not coupled to the airframe such that air passes through the central region during flight.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation, the aircraft comprising:
an airframe having first and second wings with first and second pylons extending therebetween forming a central region;
a two-dimensional distributed thrust array attached to the airframe, the thrust array including a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the first wing and a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the second wing;
a flight control system coupled to the airframe and operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies;
a nose cone selectively coupled to the airframe such that the nose cone extends between the first and second wings and between first and second pylons; and
an afterbody selectively coupled to the airframe such that the afterbody extends between the first and second wings and between first and second pylons;
wherein, in a cargo delivery flight configuration, the nose cone and the afterbody are coupled to the airframe to form a cargo enclosure with an aerodynamic outer shape; and
wherein, in a minimal drag flight configuration, the nose cone and the afterbody are not coupled to the airframe such that air passes through the central region during flight.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein, in the biplane orientation, the first wing is an upper wing having a dihedral configuration and the second wing is a lower wing having an anhedral configuration.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the central region forms a rectangle having a major dimension extending between the first and second wings and a minor dimension extending between first and second pylons and wherein the major dimension is greater than the minor dimension.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The aircraft as recited in claim 3 wherein the major dimension is between about two times and about four times greater than the minor dimension.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the propulsion assemblies is outboard of the central region.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the propulsion assemblies further comprises a variable speed electric motor and a rotor assembly.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the propulsion assemblies further comprises a thrust vectoring propulsion assembly.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the propulsion assemblies further comprises a longitudinal thrust vectoring propulsion assembly.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the propulsion assemblies further comprises an omnidirectional thrust vectoring propulsion assembly.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the propulsion assemblies further comprises a tail assembly with at least one aerosurface.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the first wing further comprises two propulsion assemblies and the plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the second wing further comprises two propulsion assemblies.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the nose cone further comprises a leading edge fairing that is slidably receivable on the airframe.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the afterbody further comprises a trailing edge fairing that is slidably receivable on the airframe.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The aircraft as recited in claim 13 wherein the trailing edge fairing further comprises first and second trailing edge members that are rotatable relative to the first and second pylons, respectively, such that the first and second trailing edge members have open and closed positions.

### Claim 15

A method of operating an aircraft comprising:
providing an airframe having first and second wings with first and second pylons extending therebetween forming a central region, a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the first wing, a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the second wing and a flight control system operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies;
forming a cargo enclosure having an aerodynamic outer shape by attaching a nose cone to the airframe such that the nose cone extends between the first and second wings and between first and second pylons and by attaching an afterbody to the airframe such that the afterbody extends between the first and second wings and between first and second pylons;
disposing cargo within the cargo enclosure;
transporting the cargo by air from a first location to a second location including transitioning the aircraft between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation;
removing the cargo from the cargo enclosure at the second location;
detaching the nose cone and the afterbody from the airframe forming a minimal drag flight configuration in which air passes through the central region during flight; and
returning the aircraft by air from the second location to the first location in the minimal drag flight configuration including transitioning the aircraft between thrust-borne lift in the VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in the biplane orientation.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method as recited in claim 15 wherein transporting the cargo by air from the first location to the second location further comprises transitioning the aircraft between the VTOL orientation wherein the first wing is forward of the cargo enclosure and the second wing is aft of the cargo enclosure and the biplane orientation wherein the first wing is below the cargo enclosure and the second wing is above the cargo enclosure.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method as recited in claim 15 further comprising operating the aircraft responsive to autonomous flight control.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method as recited in claim 15 further comprising operating the aircraft responsive to remote flight control.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method as recited in claim 15 further comprising operating the aircraft responsive to a combination of remote flight control and autonomous flight control.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method as recited in claim 15 wherein attaching the nose cone to the airframe further comprises slidably receiving a leading edge fairing on the airframe;
wherein attaching the afterbody to the airframe further comprises slidably receiving a trailing edge fairing on the airframe;
wherein detaching the nose cone from the airframe further comprises slidably removing the leading edge fairing from the airframe; and
wherein detaching the afterbody from the airframe further comprises slidably removing the trailing edge fairing from the airframe.