# US 12,179,900 B2 · Multicopter with wide span rotor configuration and protective fuselage > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,900 B2 - Document ID: US12179900B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/468,401 - Filed: 2023-09-15 - Published: 2024-02-29 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2017-07-13 - Assignees: Kitty Hawk Corporation - Applicants: Kitty Hawk Corporation - Inventors: Todd Reichert; Cameron Robertson; Mark Johnson Cutler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179900B2 ## CPC - B64C 25/54: Floats - B64C 27/08: with two or more rotors - B64C 29/0025: {the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage} - B64C 27/001: {Vibration damping devices} - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS ## Abstract An inner middle rotor is rotated while an inner front rotor, an inner back rotor, and an outer rotor are not rotated. The inner middle rotor is surrounded by the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, the outer rotor, and a fuselage. After rotating the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor, the inner middle rotor, the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are simultaneously rotated. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle, comprising: a plurality of rotors, including an inner front rotor, an inner middle rotor, an inner back rotor, and an outer rotor; a fuselage; and a flight controller configured to: determine that the plurality of rotors are stopped; in response to a determination that the plurality of rotors are stopped: rotate the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor to be positioned tip-to-tip; rotate the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor; and after rotating the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, simultaneously rotate the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle recited in claim 1, wherein the inner middle rotor is surrounded by the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, the outer rotor, and the fuselage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle recited in claim 1, wherein the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle recited in claim 1, wherein: prior to the rotating of the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor, the rotating of the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor to be positioned tip-to-tip occurs at an end of a first flight; and the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates during a second flight, wherein the second flight occurs after the first flight. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle recited in claim 1, wherein the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates during a same flight as when the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are rotated to be positioned tip-to-tip. ### Claim 6 A method, comprising: determining that a plurality of rotors are stopped, wherein the plurality of rotors, including an inner front rotor, an inner middle rotor, an inner back rotor, and an outer rotor; in response to a determination that the plurality of rotors are stopped: rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor to be positioned tip-to-tip; rotating the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor; and after rotating the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, simultaneously rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method recited in claim 6, wherein the inner middle rotor is surrounded by the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, the outer rotor, and a fuselage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method recited in claim 6, wherein the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method recited in claim 6, wherein: prior to the rotating of the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor, the rotating of the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor to be positioned tip-to-tip occurs at an end of a first flight; and the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates during a second flight, wherein the second flight occurs after the first flight. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method recited in claim 6, wherein: the method further includes: prior to rotating the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor, rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor to be positioned tip-to-tip; and the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates during a same flight as when the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are rotated to be positioned tip-to-tip. ### Claim 11 A computer program product, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for: determining that a plurality of rotors are stopped, wherein the plurality of rotors, including an inner front rotor, an inner middle rotor, an inner back rotor, and an outer rotor; in response to a determination that the plurality of rotors are stopped: rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor to be positioned tip-to-tip; rotating the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor; and after rotating the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, simultaneously rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The computer program product recited in claim 11, wherein the inner middle rotor is surrounded by the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, the outer rotor, and a fuselage. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The computer program product recited in claim 11, wherein the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The computer program product recited in claim 11, wherein: prior to the rotating of the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor, the rotating of the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor to be positioned tip-to-tip occurs at an end of a first flight; and the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates during a second flight, wherein the second flight occurs after the first flight. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The computer program product recited in claim 11, wherein the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates during a same flight as when the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are rotated to be positioned tip-to-tip.