Autorotating payload delivery device

A payload delivery device configured to deliver an aircraft deployed payload along a flight path to a predetermined landing destination, the payload delivery device comprising:

• a flight stabilizer assembly mounted on a containerized payload assembly configured to enclose the payload;
• and
• a rotor assembly attached to the flight stabilizer assembly, the rotor assembly including
• a plurality of rotor blades configured to rotate about a central axis of rotation and rotate within a first plane of rotation, wherein the rotor assembly is passively powered to rotate only by air impinging upon the rotor assembly as the payload delivery device descends along the flight path, and wherein each rotor blade of the plurality of rotor blades comprises a folding joint for each rotor blade to be stowed in an initial pre-deployment configuration before being deployed into an autorotating configuration, and
• a plurality of rotor blade angular actuators configured to control rotation of a corresponding leading edge of the plurality of rotor blades with respect to the first plane of rotation, wherein the plurality of rotor blade angular actuators are further configured to control rotation of the corresponding leading edge of the plurality of rotor blades to a first downward angle orthogonal to the first plane of rotation, wherein the plurality of rotor blade angular actuators provides co-planar control of the plurality of rotor blades such that the plurality of rotor blade actuators are disposed in the first plane of rotation;
• a gimbal assembly attached to the flight stabilizer assembly, the gimbal assembly including:
• a gimbal spherical surface, wherein the rotor assembly is mounted on the gimbal spherical surface via a rotor assembly rotational bearing;
• and
• at least two gimbal servomotors configured to move the rotor assembly in a gimbal angular range of motion to control an X direction and a Y direction in a horizontal plane orthogonal to a rotational central axis of the rotor assembly;
• and
• at least one flight control surface attached to the flight stabilizer assembly, each flight control surface rotatable about a respective flight control surface rotational axis, wherein the at least one flight control surface provides additional control along the flight path in conjunction with the rotor assembly.

A payload delivery device configured to deliver an aircraft deployed payload along a flight path to a predetermined landing destination, the payload delivery device comprising:

• a flight stabilizer assembly mounted on a containerized payload assembly configured to enclose the payload;
• a rotor assembly attached to the flight stabilizer assembly, the rotor assembly including
• a plurality of rotor blades configured to rotate about a central axis of rotation and rotate within a first plane of rotation, wherein the rotor assembly is passively powered to rotate only by air impinging upon the rotor assembly as the payload delivery device descends along the flight path, and wherein each rotor blade of the plurality of rotor blades comprises a folding joint for each rotor blade to be stowed in an initial pre-deployment configuration before being deployed into an autorotating configuration, and
• a plurality of rotor blade angular actuators configured to control rotation of a corresponding leading edge of the plurality of rotor blades with respect to the first plane of rotation, wherein the plurality of rotor blade angular actuators are further configured to control rotation of the corresponding leading edge of the plurality of rotor blades to a first downward angle orthogonal to the first plane of rotation, wherein the plurality of rotor blade angular actuators provides co-planar control of the plurality of rotor blades such that the plurality of rotor blade actuators are disposed in the first plane of rotation;
• a flight control and navigation system configured to control the plurality of rotor blade angular actuators to enable the payload delivery device to maintain travel along the flight path to the predetermined landing destination;
• a gimbal assembly attached to the flight stabilizer assembly, the gimbal assembly including:
• a gimbal spherical surface, wherein the rotor assembly is mounted on the gimbal spherical surface via a rotor assembly rotational bearing;
• and
• at least two gimbal servomotors configured to move the rotor assembly in a gimbal angular range of motion to control an X direction and a Y direction in a horizontal plane orthogonal to a rotational central axis of the rotor assembly;
• and
• at least one flight control surface attached to the flight stabilizer assembly, each flight control surface rotatable about a respective flight control surface rotational axis, wherein the at least one flight control surface provides additional control along the flight path in conjunction with the rotor assembly.