Vertical take-off and landing aircraft

A vertical take-off and landing aircraft comprising:

• a fuselage;
• a single pair of wings connected to the fuselage or a single wing extending across the fuselage;
• a plurality of rotors connected to the single wing or single pair of wings for providing lift for vertical take-off and landing of the aircraft, wherein each rotor of the plurality of rotors is rearward of the single wing or single pair of wings;
• and
• a plurality of proprotors connected to the single wing or single pair of wings and tiltable between lift configurations for providing lift for vertical take-off and landing of the aircraft and propulsion configurations for providing forward thrust to the aircraft, wherein each proprotor of the plurality of proprotors is forward of the single wing or single pair of wings;
• wherein:
• the plurality of proprotors comprises a first plurality of proprotors on a first side of the fuselage, wherein the first plurality of proprotors comprises a first innermost proprotor, a first middle proprotor, and a first outermost proprotor, wherein the first plurality of proprotors are in a first staggered configuration in a forward-rearward direction, such that, when the first plurality of proprotors are in the propulsion configurations, respective planes of rotation of the first outermost proprotor, the first middle proprotor, and the first innermost proprotor are non-coplanar;
• the plurality of proprotors comprises a second plurality of proprotors on a second side of the fuselage, wherein the second plurality of proprotors comprises a second innermost proprotor, a second middle proprotor, and a second outermost proprotor, wherein the second plurality of proprotors are in a second staggered configuration in the forward-rearward direction as a mirror image of the first staggered configuration, such that, when the second plurality of proprotors are in the propulsion configurations, respective planes of rotation of the second outermost proprotor, the second middle proprotor, and the second innermost proprotor are non-coplanar;
• the plurality of rotors comprises a first plurality of rotors on the first side of the fuselage, wherein the first plurality of rotors comprises a first innermost rotor, wherein the first innermost rotor is rearward of other rotors of the first plurality of rotors;
• and
• the plurality of rotors comprises a second plurality of rotors on the second side of the fuselage, wherein the second plurality of rotors comprises a second innermost rotor, wherein the second innermost rotor is rearward of other rotors of the second plurality of rotors;
• wherein the plurality of rotors and the plurality of proprotors are mounted to the single wing or single pair of wings by a plurality of booms;
• the first plurality of rotors further comprises a first middle rotor and a first outermost rotor;
• the first innermost rotor and the first innermost proprotor are mounted to a first boom of the plurality of booms;
• the first middle rotor and the first middle proprotor are mounted to a second boom of the plurality of booms;
• the first outermost rotor and the first outermost proprotor are mounted to a third boom of the plurality of booms;
• the first boom is longer than the second boom;
• the second boom is longer than the third boom;
• and
• the first innermost proprotor is forward of other proprotors of the first plurality of proprotors;
• wherein one rotor of the plurality of rotors and one proprotor of the plurality of proprotors are mounted to each boom of the plurality of booms, wherein each boom comprises a front end and a rear end, wherein each boom supports the one proprotor at its front end and the one rotor at its rear end;
• wherein each boom is configured such that a first minimum distance in a direction along a length of the respective boom between a blade tip of the one proprotor and a leading edge of the single wing or single pair of wings is greater than a second minimum distance in the direction along the length of the respective boom between a blade tip of the one rotor and a trailing edge of the single wing or single pair of wings;
• and
• the single wing or single pair of wings is tapered in a spanwise direction from the fuselage.