Hybrid propulsion vertical take-off and landing aircraft

A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial vehicle operable in a hover mode and a horizontal flight mode, the VTOL aerial vehicle comprising:

• a fuselage;
• a first primary wing coupled to the fuselage and having a first plurality of independently-controllable integrated ducted fans,
• wherein the first plurality of integrated ducted fans is configured to pivot relative to the fuselage in unison between a first position to direct thrust downward in the hover mode and a second position to direct thrust horizontally in the horizontal flight mode;
• a second primary wing coupled to the fuselage and having a second plurality of independently-controllable integrated ducted fans,
• wherein the second plurality of integrated ducted fans is configured to pivot relative to the fuselage in unison between a first position to direct thrust downward in the hover mode and a second position to direct thrust horizontally in the horizontal flight mode;
• a first canard wing coupled to the fuselage and having a third plurality of independently-controllable integrated ducted fans,
• wherein the third plurality of integrated ducted fans is configured to pivot relative to the fuselage in unison between a first position to direct thrust downward in the hover mode and a second position to direct thrust horizontally in the horizontal flight mode;
• and
• a second canard wing coupled to the fuselage and having a fourth plurality of independently-controllable integrated ducted fans,
• wherein the fourth plurality of integrated ducted fans is configured to pivot relative to the fuselage in unison between a first position to direct thrust downward in the hover mode and a second position to direct thrust horizontally in the horizontal flight mode, and
• wherein the VTOL aerial vehicle is configured to (1) drive each of the first and second pluralities of integrated ducted fans at a constant rotational speed using electric power without inverting or converting a voltage or a frequency of the electric power and (2) independently adjust thrust from each of the first and second pluralities of integrated ducted fans via a pitch control mechanism while maintaining the constant rotational speed.

A hybrid propulsion vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial vehicle operable in a hover mode and a horizontal flight mode, the VTOL aerial vehicle comprising:

• a fuselage;
• an engine operatively coupled with a gearbox;
• one or more generators operatively coupled with the gearbox and configured to generate alternating current (AC) electric power at a voltage and a frequency;
• a primary wing set having a first wing and a second wing, the primary wing set having a first plurality of integrated ducted fans, wherein at least two integrated ducted fans of said first plurality of integrated ducted fans are positioned on each of the first wing and the second wing,
• wherein at least a portion of the primary wing set is configured to pivot the first plurality of integrated ducted fans relative to the fuselage between a hover position and a cruise position;
• a canard wing set having a first canard wing and a second canard wing, the canard wing set having a second plurality of integrated ducted fans, wherein at least two integrated ducted fans of said second plurality of integrated ducted fans are positioned on each of the first canard wing and the second canard wing,
• wherein at least a portion of the canard wing set is configured to pivot the second plurality of integrated ducted fans relative to the fuselage between a hover position and a cruise position;
• and
• a flight control unit operably coupled with each of the first plurality of integrated ducted fans and the second plurality of integrated ducted fans,
• wherein the flight control unit is configured to (1) drive each of the first and second pluralities of integrated ducted fans at a constant rotational speed without inverting or converting the voltage or the frequency of the AC electric power and (2) independently adjust thrust from each of the first and second pluralities of integrated ducted fans via a pitch control mechanism while maintaining the constant rotational speed.