# US 11,299,287 B1 · Methods and systems for orienting a thrust propulsor in response to a failure event of a vertical take-off and landing aircraft

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,299,287 B1
- Document ID: US11299287B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 17/361,542
- Filed: 2021-06-29
- Granted: 2022-04-12
- Earliest claimed: 2021-06-29
- Assignees: Beta Air, LLC
- Applicants: Beta Air, LLC
- Inventors: Nicholas Moy; Riley Griffin; Lochie Ferrier; Collin Freiheit
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11299287B1

## CPC

- B64C 29/0025: {the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage}
- B64C 11/00: Propellers, e.g. of ducted type; Features common to propellers and rotors for rotorcraft
- B64D 27/31: within, or attached to, wings
- B64D 31/10: for preventing asymmetric thrust
- Y02T 50/40: Weight reduction
- Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

Aspects relate to systems and methods for orienting a thrust propulsor in response to a failure event of a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. An exemplary system includes a plurality of lift propulsors mechanically connected to a VTOL aircraft, wherein each of the plurality of lift propulsors are configured to produce lift, a plurality of sensors, wherein at least a sensor is configured to detect a failure of at least a lift propulsor, and transmit a failure datum, a thrust propulsor mechanically attached to the VTOL aircraft with an orientable joint, wherein the thrust propulsor is configured to produce thrust and orient the thrust propulsor as a function of a thrust orientation datum, and a flight controller configured to receive the failure datum, generate a thrust orientation datum as a function of the failure datum, and transmit the thrust orientation datum to the orientable joint.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for orienting a thrust propulsor in response to a failure event of a vertical take-off and landing aircraft, the system comprising:
a plurality of lift propulsors mechanically connected to a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, wherein each of the plurality of lift propulsors are configured to produce lift along a single direction vector substantially parallel to a yaw axis, the single direction vector comprising an aggregate of a plurality of fixed direction vectors, wherein each lift propulsor produces lift along a corresponding fixed direction vector;
a thrust propulsor mechanically attached to the VTOL aircraft with an orientable joint, wherein the thrust propulsor is configured to produce forward thrust; and
a flight controller communicative with a plurality of sensors and the orientable joint, wherein the flight controller is configured to:
generate a thrust orientation datum; and
transmit the thrust orientation datum to the orientable joint;
wherein the orientable joint is configured to:
receive the thrust orientation datum; and
orient an angle of the thrust propulsor about the yaw axis as a function of the thrust orientation datum.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the thrust orientation datum represents a rotation; and the orientable joint is configured to rotate the thrust propulsor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the thrust orientation datum represents a translation; and the orientable joint is configured to translate the thrust propulsor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein a failure of a lift propulsor of the plurality of lift propulsors introduces a yaw moment.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein a failure of a lift propulsor of the plurality of lift propulsors prevents the flight controller from using the plurality of lift propulsors to control yaw.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein orienting the thrust propulsor introduces a yaw moment configured to control yaw of the VTOL aircraft.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the orientable joint is a gimbal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a plurality of sensors, wherein at least a sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to:
detect a failure of a lift propulsor of the plurality of lift propulsors; and
transmit a failure datum in response to the failure; and
wherein the failure of a lift propulsor degrades lift provided by the plurality of lift propulsors.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the at least a sensor of the plurality of sensors comprises at least a rotation sensor configured to detect rotation of the at least a lift propulsor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the failure datum comprises at least an element of data describing the failure of the at least a lift propulsor.

### Claim 11

A method of orienting a thrust propulsor in response to a failure event of a vertical take-off and landing aircraft, the method comprising:
producing, a plurality of lift propulsors mechanically connected to a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, a lift along a single direction vector substantially parallel to a yaw axis, the single direction vector comprising an aggregate of a plurality of fixed direction vectors, wherein each lift propulsor produces lift along a corresponding fixed direction vector;
producing, using a thrust propulsor mechanically attached to the VTOL aircraft with an orientable joint, a forward thrust;
receiving, using a flight controller communicative with a plurality of sensors and the orientable joint, a failure datum;
generating, using the flight controller, a thrust orientation datum;
transmitting, using the flight controller, the thrust orientation datum to the orientable joint;
receiving, using the orientable joint, the thrust orientation datum; and
orienting, using the orientable joint, an angle of the thrust propulsor about the yaw axis as a function of the thrust orientation datum.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the thrust orientation datum represents a rotation; and orienting the thrust propulsor comprises rotating, using the orientable joint, a thrust propulsor.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the thrust orientation datum represents a translation; and orienting the thrust propulsor comprises translating, using the orientable joint, a thrust propulsor.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein a failure of a lift propulsor of the plurality of lift propulsors introduces a yaw moment.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein a failure of a lift propulsor of the plurality of lift propulsors prevents the flight controller from using the plurality of lift propulsors to control yaw.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein orienting the thrust propulsor introduces a yaw moment configured to control yaw of the VTOL aircraft.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the orientable joint is a gimbal.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
detecting, using at least a sensor of a plurality of sensors, a failure of a lift propulsor of the plurality of lift propulsors;
transmitting, using the at least a sensor, the failure datum in response to a failure; and
wherein the failure of a lift propulsor degrades lift provided by the plurality of lift propulsors.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein detecting the failure comprises detecting, using at least a sensor, rotation of at least a lift propulsor.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the failure datum comprises at least an element of data describing the failure of the at least a lift propulsor.