# US 11,440,672 B2 · Hybrid VTOL fixed-wing drone > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,672 B2 - Document ID: US11440672B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/049,629 - Filed: 2018-07-30 - Published: 2019-02-28 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2017-07-06 - Applicants: Shanghai Autoflight Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yu Tian - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440672B2 ## CPC - B64C 39/12: Canard-type aircraft - B64C 27/26: characterised by provision of fixed wings - B64C 29/0025: {the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage} - B64C 39/04: having multiple fuselages or tail booms - B64U 10/16: with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters - B64U 10/20: Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft (flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17) - B64U 10/25: Fixed-wing aircraft (VTOL aircraft B64U10/20) - B64U 30/10: Wings - B64U 50/13: using external fans or propellers - B64U 20/65: Composite materials - B64U 50/30: Supply or distribution of electrical power - B64U 2101/31: for surveillance - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR ## Abstract A long-distance drone is disclosed having a canard body style with a main body, a left main wing, a right main wing, a left forewing, and a right forewing. The left forewing is attached to the main body forward of the left main wing, and the right forewing is attached to the main body forward of the right main wing. There is a left linear support connecting the left forewing to the left main wing, and a right linear support connecting the right forewing to the right main wing. A plurality of propellers are disposed on the left and the right linear supports. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of improving stability, robustness, endurance and durability of a VTOL fixed-wing drone, said method comprising: having a left hind wing, a right hind wing, a left forewing, and a right forewing, all of which being attached to a fuselage of the VTOL drone; providing no more than two linear supports to minimize drag, said two linear supports consists of a left linear support and a right linear support; connecting the left hind wing with the left forewing with the left linear support to minimize a contortion force applied to the fuselage during flight; connecting the right hind wing with the right forewing with the right linear support to minimize the contortion force applied to the fuselage during flight; having a first plurality of lifting propellers entirely disposed on an outside of the left linear support; having a second plurality of lifting propellers entirely disposed on an outside of the right linear support; locking the first plurality and second plurality of lifting propellers in a fixed position during flight while the first plurality and second plurality of lifting propellers remain entirely disposed on the outside of the left and right linear supports, respectively; wherein the left and right linear supports are spaced apart from the fuselage and provide enhanced overall integrity of the drone during flight; and wherein one of the at least three lifting propellers disposed entirely on the outside of the left linear support is disposed on a top side of the left linear support, and another one of the at least three lifting propellers disposed entirely on the outside of the left linear support is disposed on a bottom side of the left linear support. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first plurality of lifting propellers is at least three propellers disposed in a linear array and the second plurality of lifting propellers is at least three propellers disposed in a linear array. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the linear array on the left linear support parallels with the linear array on the right linear support. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the left and right forewings and the left and right hind wings have no movable flight control surfaces. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method as recited in claim 3, wherein at least two of the first plurality of lifting propellers partially overlap in their range of movement from a top view. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the left hind wing and the right hind wing are the rear most horizontal wings in the drone. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the left forewing is shorter than the left hind wing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The method as recited in claim 3, placing a center of gravity of the drone on a center longitudinal location of the fuselage, wherein the center of gravity is located at two third of a distance from a point A which is defined as a center of lift force between a foremost lift propeller on the left linear support and a foremost propeller on the right linear support to a point C which is defined as a center of lift force between a rearmost two lift propellers on the left linear support and a rearmost two lift propellers on the right linear support. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The method as recited in claim 3, wherein said center of gravity is located at one third of a distance from a point B which is defined as a center of lift force between a foremost two lift propellers on the left linear support and a foremost two lift propellers on the right linear support to a point D which is defined as a center of lift force between a rear most lift propeller on the left linear support and a rearmost propeller on the right linear support. ### Claim 10 A method of improving stability of a VTOL fixed-wing drone, said method comprising: having a left hind wing, a right hind wing, a left forewing, and a right forewing, all of which being attached to a fuselage of the drone; providing no more than two linear supports to minimize drag, said two linear supports consists of a left linear support and a right linear support; connecting the left hind wing with the left forewing with the left linear support to minimize a contortion force applied to the fuselage during flight; connecting the right hind wing with the right forewing with the right linear support to minimize the contortion force applied to the fuselage during flight; having at least three lifting propellers entirely disposed on the outside of the left linear support; having at least three lifting propellers entirely disposed on the outside of the right linear support; locking the at least three lifting propellers of the left linear support and the at least three lifting propellers of the right linear support in a fixed position during flight while the at least three lifting propellers of the left linear support and the at least three lifting propellers of the right linear support remain entirely disposed on the outside of the left and right linear supports, respectively; wherein the left and right linear supports are spaced apart from the fuselage and are parallel to each other; placing a center of gravity of the drone on a center longitudinal location of the fuselage; and wherein one of the at least three lifting propellers disposed entirely on the outside of the left linear support is disposed on a top side of the left linear support, and another one of the at least three lifting propellers disposed entirely on the outside of the left linear support is disposed on a bottom side of the left linear support. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said point CG is located at one third of a distance from a point B which is defined as a center of lift force between a foremost two lift propellers on the left linear support and a foremost two lift propellers on the right linear support to a point D which is defined as a center of lift force between a rear most lift propeller on the left linear support and a rearmost propeller on the right linear support. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the left and right forewings and the left and right hind wings have no movable flight control surfaces. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising providing a push propeller on the drone to provide a force of propulsion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the foremost two lift propellers disposed on the left linear support partially overlap in their ranges of movement from a top view. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the center of gravity is located at two third of a distance from a point A which is defined as a center of lift force between a foremost lift propeller on the left linear support and a foremost propeller on the right linear support to a point C which is defined as a center of lift force between a rearmost two lift propellers on the left linear support and a rearmost two lift propellers on the right linear support.