Aerodynamic rotor blade configurations
AssigneeWisk Aero LLC
InventorGeoffrey Alan Long
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems and methods for reducing drag on an aircraft. The aircraft can include at least one propulsion system with rotor blades configured to reduce aerodynamic drag when the propulsion system is deactivated. To reduce the amount of drag, the rotor blades can be locked into an aerodynamic position, and prevented from passively spinning. Additionally, the rotor blades can be configured to have angular positions that reduce drag. For example, the rotor blades as a group may be configured to generally point toward and/or away from an airflow current.
Claims20
A propulsion system comprising:
- a hub;
- a plurality of rotor blades coupled to the hub, configured to rotate about a vertical axis to generate vertical thrust, wherein a first angle between two adjacent rotor blades of the plurality of rotor blades is an acute angle;
- and
- a locking mechanism configured to retain the plurality of rotor blades at a predefined rotary position when the propulsion system is deactivated, the predefined rotary position configured so that the first angle faces a direction of forward movement.
A method, comprising:
- controlling, by a control system, a propulsion system to create vertical thrust, wherein the propulsion system includes a plurality of rotor blades configured to rotate about a vertical axis, and a first angle between two adjacent rotor blades of the plurality of rotor blades is an acute angle;
- and
- deactivating, by the control system, the propulsion system, wherein the plurality of rotor blades are retained at a predefined rotary position by a locking mechanism when the propulsion system is deactivated, and the predefined rotary position is configured so that the first angle faces a direction of forward movement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.