# US 11,029,705 B2 · Aircraft capable of hovering > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,029,705 B2 - Document ID: US11029705B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/637,847 - Filed: 2018-07-27 - Published: 2020-08-27 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-11 - Assignees: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH - Applicants: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH - Inventors: Nick Neubert; Malte Blask; Hagen Christian Hagens - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029705B2 ## CPC - G05D 1/042: {specially adapted for aircraft} - B64C 1/061: {Frames} - B64C 27/00: Rotorcraft; Rotors peculiar thereto - B64C 27/473: Constructional features - B64C 39/02: characterised by special use - B64U 10/13: Flying platforms - B64U 20/20: for noise reduction - B64U 30/21: Rotary wings - B64U 30/297: Tilting rotors - B64U 30/299: Rotor guards (ducted or shrouded rotors B64U30/26; guards used as ground propulsion B64U60/60) - B64U 20/60: UAVs characterised by the material - B64U 50/11: using internal combustion piston engines - B64U 50/14: ducted or shrouded - B64U 60/40: foldable or retractable - B64U 2101/30: for imaging, photography or videography - B64U 2101/55: for life-saving or rescue operations; for medical use - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR ## Abstract An aircraft has a propulsion unit and a fuselage unit. The propulsion unit has a first rotor for providing a propulsion force on the aircraft. The fuselage unit extends along a rotation axis of the first rotor and has a rotationally symmetrical shape with respect to the rotation axis of the first rotor. The fuselage unit has a suspension at a first end by which the fuselage unit is coupled to the first rotor so that the fuselage unit is spaced apart from the first rotor along the rotation axis. A detection unit for the detection of environmental information is provided in the area of a second end of the fuselage unit. The propulsion unit is designed to keep the aircraft in a hovering flight condition so that a relative position of the aircraft with respect to a reference point on the Earth's surface remains unchanged. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aircraft comprising: a propulsion unit with a first rotor for providing a propulsion force on the aircraft; a fuselage unit extending along a rotation axis of the first rotor and having a rotational symmetrical shape with respect to the rotation axis of the first rotor; and a landing gear movably attached to the fuselage unit and configured to support the aircraft upon landing on the Earth's surface, the landing gear comprising a plurality of landing supports, wherein the fuselage unit has a suspension at a first end by which the fuselage unit is coupled to the first rotor so that the fuselage unit is spaced apart from the first rotor along the rotation axis; wherein a detection unit for the detection of environmental information is provided in the area of a second end of the fuselage unit; wherein the propulsion unit is configured to keep the aircraft in a hovering flight condition, so that a relative position of the aircraft with respect to a reference point on the Earth's surface remains unchanged; wherein the first rotor has at least two rotor blades, whose profile shape remains unchanged over a longitudinal extension direction of the rotor blades, and wherein the plurality of landing supports is configured to fold toward the first rotor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein a center of gravity of the aircraft essentially lies on the rotation axis of the first rotor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detection unit is configured to receive an optical signal or an electromagnetic signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the hovering flight state, the first end of the fuselage unit represents the end of the fuselage unit facing away from the Earth's surface; and wherein in the hovering flight state, the second end of the fuselage unit represents the end of the fuselage unit facing towards the Earth's surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area of the profile shape of the rotor blades decreases in the longitudinal extension direction of the rotor blades starting from the rotation axis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two rotor blades of the first rotor are twisted around the longitudinal extension direction with increasing distance from the rotation axis of the first rotor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the suspension for coupling the first end of the fuselage unit to the first rotor has a swash plate mechanism. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The aircraft as claimed claim 1, further comprising: a second rotor arranged coaxially to the first rotor; wherein the second rotor is coupled by the suspension to the fuselage unit so that the fuselage unit is spaced apart from the second rotor along the rotation axis; and wherein a direction of rotation of the first rotor is opposite to a direction of rotation of the second rotor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the suspension for coupling the first end of the fuselage unit to the second rotor has a swash plate mechanism. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the propulsion unit has an internal combustion engine arranged at least partially within the fuselage unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, comprising: a casing unit having an at least partially cylindrical shape arranged around the first rotor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The aircraft as claimed in claim 11, wherein the casing unit is attached to the fuselage unit by a truss structure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fuselage unit has a radome reversibly attached to the second end of the fuselage unit.