US 12,330,781 B1Granted

Wing-in-ground effect vehicles and methods of control

AssigneeREGENT Craft Inc.

InventorsWilliam Thalheimer, Michael Klinker, William Bryan Baker, Edward Lester, Daniel Cottrell, Christian Bailey, David Larson, Bradley C. Buskirk, Jason Castriota, Marco Borge, Andrew Gregg, Andrew Levin, Michael Christopher Tilley

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Abstract

A craft includes a hull, a wing, a hydrofoil, and a control system. The wing is configured to generate upwards aero lift as air flows past the wing to facilitate wing-borne flight of the craft. The hydrofoil is configured to generate upwards hydrofoil lift during a first mode of operation as water flows past the hydrofoil to facilitate hydrofoil-borne movement of the craft through the water. While the craft is hydrofoil-borne, the control system is configured to determine the upwards aero lift generated by the wing. The control system is further configured to control the hydrofoil to generate downwards hydrofoil lift to counteract the upwards aero lift generated by the wing that maintains the hydrofoil at least partially submerged in the water while the determined upwards aero lift is below a threshold lift.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A craft comprising:

at least one sensor;
at least one wing configured to generate upwards aero lift as air flows past the at least one wing to facilitate wing-borne flight of the craft;
at least one hydrofoil configured to generate hydrofoil lift as water flows past the at least one hydrofoil to facilitate hydrofoil-borne movement of the craft through the water;
and
a control system, wherein while the craft is hydrofoil-borne, the control system is configured to:
receive, from the at least one sensor, sensor data;
based on the received sensor data, determine:
(a) that at least one takeoff parameter does not satisfy a takeoff-parameter threshold condition;
and
(b) a representation of at least a portion of a body of water that comprises the water that flows past the at least one hydrofoil;
after the determination that the at least one takeoff parameter does not satisfy the takeoff-parameter threshold condition, control the at least one hydrofoil to generate downwards hydrofoil lift that maintains the at least one hydrofoil at least partially submerged in the water;
and
based on the determined representation of the at least the portion of the body of water, change one or more of a speed, altitude, heading, or attitude of the craft.

10 more elements

A control system for controlling a craft that includes (i) at least one sensor, (ii) at least one wing configured to generate upwards aero lift as air flows past the at least one wing to facilitate wing-borne flight of the craft, and (iii) at least one hydrofoil configured to generate hydrofoil lift as water flows past the at least one hydrofoil to facilitate hydrofoil-borne movement of the craft through the water, the control system comprising:

at least one processor;
non-transitory computer-readable medium;
and
program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the control system is configured to:
receive, from the at least one sensor, sensor data;
based on the received sensor data, determine:
(a) that at least one takeoff parameter does not satisfy a takeoff-parameter threshold condition;
and
(b) a representation of at least a portion of a body of water that comprises the water that flows past the at least one hydrofoil;
after the determination that the at least one takeoff parameter does not satisfy the takeoff-parameter threshold condition, control the at least one hydrofoil to generate downwards hydrofoil lift that maintains the at least one hydrofoil at least partially submerged in the water;
and
based on the determined representation of the at least the portion of the body of water, change one or more of a speed, altitude, heading, or attitude of the craft.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/885,523Filed 10 Aug 2022 · continuation in part
Priority: 11 Feb 2021
Granted: 17 Jun 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

B60V 1/08
Air-cushion: wherein the cushion is created during forward movement of the vehicle by ram effect
B64C 35/006
Flying-boats; Seaplanes: with lift generating devices
B60F 5/02
Other vehicles capable of travelling in or on different media: convertible into aircraft
B60V 1/11
Air-cushion: stability or attitude control

Family

Application63/148,565Us provisional application · filed 11 Feb 2021
Application63/281,594Us provisional application · filed 19 Nov 2021
Application17/570,090Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 6 Jan 2022
Application17/845,480Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 21 Jun 2022
Application17/875,942Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 28 Jul 2022
Application17/885,463Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 10 Aug 2022
US 12,116,139 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 11,420,738 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 12,643,655 B2Related patent
US 2022/0250743 A1Published application
US 2022/0324560 A1Published application
US 2022/0382300 A1Published application
US 2024/0158091 A1Published application
US 12,330,781 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.