# US 12,006,033 B1 · Boom assembly for aerial vehicle

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- Number: US 12,006,033 B1
- Document ID: US12006033B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 17/247,344
- Filed: 2020-12-08
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-10
- Assignees: Joby Aero, Inc.
- Applicants: Joby Aero, Inc.
- Inventors: Ian Andreas Villa; Jacek Kawecki; Jalen Christian Doherty; Ryan Naru; Mark Moore; Alex Michael Gary; Adam Chase; Matthew William Derkach; Philipp Haban
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006033B1

## CPC

- B64C 29/0033: {the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage}
- B64C 29/0025: {the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage}
- B64C 39/04: having multiple fuselages or tail booms
- B64F 5/10: Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor
- B64U 50/19: using electrically powered motors
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR

## Abstract

An aerial vehicle includes a fuselage supporting a pair of wings, with each of wings having a pair of booms attached thereto. A tilt rotor is positioned at each of the forward ends of each of the booms, to provide the aerial vehicle with at least four tilt rotors. A fixed rotor is positioned at and secured to the aft (or trailing) ends of each of the booms, to provide the aerial vehicle with at least four fixed rotors.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aerial vehicle comprising:
a fuselage;
a starboard wing secured to the fuselage;
a port wing secured to the fuselage;
an inner wing boom mounted to each of the starboard wing and the port wing;
an outer wing boom mounted to each of the starboard wing and the port wing;
each inner wing boom and outer wing boom comprising:
a tilt rotor mounted at or adjacent a forward end of the wing boom, the tilt rotor being operationally tiltable between a lift-generating position and a thrust-generating position;
a fixed rotor mounted at or adjacent a trailing end of the wing boom in a lift-generating position; and
an aerial vehicle control system operable to operate the aerial vehicle in a first mode in which all of the tilt rotors of the inner wing booms and the outer wing booms are operating in a thrust-generating position and all of the fixed rotors of the inner wing booms and the outer wing booms are not operating,
the aerial vehicle control system further being operable to operate the aerial vehicle in a second mode in which:
two of the four lilt rotors of the inner wing booms and the outer wing booms are operating in a thrust-generating position;
two of the four tilt rotors of e inner wing booms and the outer wing booms are not operating;
two of the four the fixed rotors of the inner zing booms and the outer wing booms are operating to generate lift; and
two of the four the fixed rotors of the inner wing booms and the outer zing booms are not operating.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:
a tail having a starboard tail section and a port tail section; and
a rear fixed rotor mounted to the tail behind the starboard tail section and a port tail section.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an electrical control system to control a rotational speed of each of the tilt rotors and the fixed rotors.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a tilt control mechanism to control tilting of each of the tilt rotors.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a battery system located in each of the port wing and the starboard wing, and electrically coupled to operatively provide electric power to electric motors of each of the tilt rotors and the fixed rotors.

### Claim 6

A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aerial vehicle comprising:
a fuselage;
a starboard wing secured to the fuselage;
a port wing secured to the fuselage;
an inner wing boom mounted to each of the starboard wing and the port wing;
an outer wing boom mounted to each of the starboard wing and the port wing;
each inner wing boom and outer wing boom comprising:
a tilt rotor mounted at or adjacent a forward end of the wing boom, the tilt rotor being operationally tiltable between a lift-generating position and a thrust-generating position;
a fixed rotor mounted at or adjacent a trailing end of the wing boom in a lift-generating position; and
an aerial vehicle control system operable to operate the aerial vehicle in an operating mode in which:
two of the four tilt rotors of the inner wing booms and the outer wing booms are operating it a thrust-generating position;
two of the four tilt rotors of the inner wing booms and the outer wing booms are not operating;
two of the four the fixed rotors of the inner wing booms and the outer wing booms are operating to generate lift; and
two of the four the fixed rotors of the inner wing booms and the outer wing booms are not operating.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The aerial vehicle of claim 6, wherein during the operating mode:
the two tilt rotors of the outer wing booms are operating in a thrust-generating; and
the two fixed rotors of the inner wing booms are operating to generate lift.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The aerial vehicle of claim 7, wherein during the operating mode, the two tilt rotors of the outer wing booms are not operating and are in a lift-generating position.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The aerial vehicle of claim 6, wherein during the sec-end operating mode, the two of the four tilt rotors that are not operating are in a lift-generating position.

### Claim 10

A method of operating a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aerial vehicle, comprising:
an inner wing boom mounted to each of a starboard wing and a port wing;
an outer wing boom mounted to each of the starboard wing and the port wing;
each inner wing boom and outer wing boom comprising:
a tilt rotor mounted at or adjacent a forward end of the wing boom, the tilt rotor being operationally tiltable between a lift-generating position and a thrust-generating position; and
a fixed rotor mounted at or adjacent a trailing end of the wing boom in a lift-generating position,
the method comprising, in a first mode:
operating all of the tilt rotors of the inner wing booms and the outer wing booms in a thrust-generating position; and
not operating any of the fixed rotors of the inner wing booms and the outer wing booms; the method further comprising, in a second mode:
operating two of the four tilt rotors of the inner wing booms and the outer zing booms in a thrust-generating position;
not operating two of the four tilt rotors of the inner wing booms and the outer wing booms;
operating two of the four the fixed rotors of the inner wing booms and the outer wing booms to generate lift; and
not operating of e four the fixed rotors of the inner wing booms and the outer wing booms.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of operating the aerial vehicle of claim 10, wherein during the second mode:
the two tilt rotors of the outer wing booms are operating in a thrust-generating position; and
the two fixed rotors of the inner wing booms are operating to generate lift.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of operating the aerial vehicle of claim 11, wherein during the second mode, the two tilt rotors of the outer wing booms are not operating and are in a lift-generating position.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of operating the aerial vehicle of claim 10, wherein during the second mode, the two of the four tilt rotors that are not operating are in a lift-generating position.