# US 11,993,368 B2 · Hybrid electric vertical takeoff 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 11,993,368 B2 - Document ID: US11993368B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/733,487 - Filed: 2022-04-29 - Published: 2023-11-02 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2022-04-29 - Assignees: Beta Air, LLC - Applicants: Beta Air, LLC - Inventors: Kyle B. Clark; Herman Wiegman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993368B2 ## CPC - B64D 37/04: Arrangement thereof in or on aircraft - B60L 50/16: with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion - B60L 50/61: by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles - B60L 53/24: Using the vehicle's propulsion converter for charging - B60L 58/12: responding to state of charge [SoC] - B64C 29/0025: {the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage} - B64D 27/33: Hybrid electric aircraft - B64D 27/355: using fuel cells - B64D 27/357: using batteries - B64D 35/023: of series-parallel type - H01M 10/46: Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus (circuits for charging H02J7/00) - H01M 10/482: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially} - B60L 2200/10: Air crafts - B60L 2220/42: with use of more than one motor - B64D 27/026: {comprising different types of power plants, e.g. combination of a piston engine and a gas-turbine (Hybrid electric aircraft B64D27/33)} - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A hybrid electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft generally includes a fuselage, a pair of wings, a pair of booms, a plurality of flight components and a power system. The wings are connected to the fuselage and extend generally laterally therefrom with each wing on either side of the fuselage. Each boom is connected to a respective one of the wings and extends generally longitudinally and parallel to the fuselage. The plurality of flight components is configured to provide thrust to the hybrid electric VTOL aircraft. The power system is configured to power the plurality of flight components and includes at least a fuel tank and a generator, and at least a battery. The at least a fuel tank is mounted to at least one of the booms. The at least a battery configured to power the plurality of flight components. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hybrid electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, the hybrid electric VTOL aircraft comprising: a fuselage; a pair of wings connected to the fuselage and extending generally laterally therefrom, wherein each wing is on either side of the fuselage; a pair of booms with each boom connected to a respective one of the wings, wherein each boom extends generally longitudinally and parallel to the fuselage; a plurality of flight components, wherein a flight component of the plurality of flight components comprises a lift propulsor configured to provide lift to the hybrid electric VTOL aircraft and a thrust propulsor configured to provide thrust to the hybrid electric VTOL aircraft; a power system configured to power the plurality of flight components, wherein the power system comprises: a fuel system, wherein the fuel system comprises at least a fuel tank and a generator, wherein the at least a fuel tank and the generator are enclosed in a pod removably attached to an outer surface of a boom of the pair of boom by an electronically operable connector of a latching mechanism; and a battery system, wherein the battery system comprises at least a battery configured to power the plurality of flight components; and a flight controller configured to: command the thrust propulsor into a flight mode, wherein the flight mode comprises at least a regenerative drag operation; and select between the battery system, the fuel system, and a combination of the battery system and the fuel system to power the plurality of flight components, wherein the selection is based on a state of charge (SOC) of the at least a battery and the flight mode of the hybrid electric VTOL aircraft and wherein the SOC of the at least a battery is detected by a first sensor and the flight mode of the hybrid electric VTOL is detected by a second sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft of claim 1, wherein the generator is configured to recharge the at least a battery. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft of claim 1, wherein the at least a fuel tank is mounted to an outer lower surface of the one boom. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft of claim 1, wherein the generator is configured to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft of claim 1, wherein the generator comprises a turbine generator. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft of claim 1, wherein the at least a fuel tank contains a hydrocarbon fuel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft of claim 1, wherein the generator further comprises an internal combustion engine. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft of claim 1, wherein the electric generator is connected to at least an electric motor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft of claim 1, wherein the plurality of flight components comprises a plurality of lift propulsors. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft of claim 1, wherein the plurality of flight components comprises at least a pusher component. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft of claim 1, wherein the power system is further configured to allow selection between the at least a battery and the generator for powering the plurality of flight components. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft of claim 1, wherein the flight controller is configured to select at least one of the at least a battery and the generator for powering at least one of the plurality of flight components. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft of claim 12, wherein the selection of at least one of the at least a battery and the generator by the flight controller is based on a machine-learning model. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft of claim 1, wherein the at least a battery is part of a battery pack. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft of claim 1, wherein the at least a battery is mounted in the fuselage. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft of claim 1, wherein the at least a battery is mounted in a bay at a lower portion of the fuselage. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft of claim 1, wherein the hybrid electric VTOL aircraft further comprises at least a sensor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft of claim 1, wherein the at least a regenerative drag operation provides a negative thrust to the hybrid electric VTOL aircraft. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fight components are electrically connected to the generator. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The hybrid electric VTOL aircraft of claim 1, wherein the generator is communicatively connected to the flight controller.