# US 12,759,703 B2 · Vertical take-off and landing aircraft > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,759,703 B2 - Document ID: US12759703B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 19/237,785 - Filed: 2025-06-13 - Published: 2026-04-30 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-19 - Assignees: Archer Aviation Inc. - Applicants: Archer Aviation Inc. - Inventors: Geoffrey C. Bower; Thomas P. Muniz; Brett Adcock; Adam Goldstein; Calder Richmond Hughes; Zachary Robert Timm Hazen; Chad Stuart Kossar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759703B2 ## CPC - B64C 29/0033: {the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage} - B64C 9/00: Adjustable control surfaces or members, e.g. rudders (trimming stabilising surfaces B64C5/10) - B64C 27/54: Mechanisms for controlling blade adjustment or movement relative to rotor head, e.g. lag-lead movement - B64D 27/34: All-electric aircraft - B64D 27/357: using batteries - B64D 31/16: for electric power plants - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT ## Abstract A vertical take-off and landing aircraft includes a fuselage, at least one wing connected to the fuselage, a plurality of rotors connected to the at least one wing for providing lift for vertical take-off and landing of the aircraft and a plurality of proprotors connected to the at least one wing 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, further comprising a door for passenger entry and exit, wherein the door is beneath and forward of the single wing or single pair of wings. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein each rotor is mounted in a fixed position on a corresponding boom. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein at least one rotor of the plurality of rotors is canted relative to at least one further rotor of the plurality of rotors such that a rotational axis of the at least one rotor is non-parallel with a rotational axis of the at least one further rotor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The aircraft of claim 4, wherein a rotor cant angle between the rotational axis of the at least one rotor and a vertical axis of the aircraft is between 0 degrees and 30 degrees. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein at least one proprotor of the plurality of proprotors is canted relative to at least one further proprotor of the plurality of proprotors such that a rotational axis of the at least one proprotor is non-parallel with a rotational axis of the at least one further proprotor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The aircraft of claim 6, wherein a proprotor cant angle between the rotational axis of the at least one proprotor and a vertical axis of the aircraft is between 0 degrees and 30 degrees. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, further comprising a control system configured to actively alter a tilt of at least one proprotor to generate yawing moments during take-off, landing and/or hover. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The aircraft of claim 8, wherein the at least one proprotor comprises the first outermost proprotor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein a range of tilt of the proprotors is greater than ninety degrees. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein a range of tilt of the first outermost proprotor and the second outermost proprotor is about 100 degrees. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein all of the rotors and proprotors are mounted to the single wing or single pair of wings. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein a rotational axis of the first outermost rotor is tilted rearward or forward relative to a vertical axis of the aircraft. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The aircraft of claim 13, wherein the rotational axis of the first outermost rotor is tilted rearward or forward relative to a rotational axis of the first middle rotor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein a rotational axis of the first innermost rotor is tilted rearward or forward relative to a vertical axis of the aircraft. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The aircraft of claim 15, wherein the rotational axis of the first innermost rotor is tilted rearward or forward relative to a rotational axis of the first middle rotor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein each rotor comprises more than two blades. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein each proprotor comprises five blades. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein attack angles of blades of the proprotors are collectively adjustable during flight. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein each wing has control surfaces. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, further comprising: at least one battery configured to power the plurality of rotors and the plurality of proprotors, the at least one battery comprising a first battery located in the fuselage. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, further comprising: at least one battery configured to power the plurality of rotors and the plurality of proprotors, the at least one battery comprising a first battery located in the single wing or single pair of wings. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the single wing or single pair of wings has a forward swept trailing edge. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein each of the first innermost proprotor, the first outermost proprotor, the second innermost proprotor, and the second outermost proprotor is canted away from the fuselage. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The aircraft of claim 24, further comprising: a second outermost rotor of the second plurality of rotors, wherein each of the first innermost rotor, the first outermost rotor, the second innermost rotor, and the second outermost rotor is canted away from the fuselage. ### Claim 26 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; a plurality of booms mounted to the single wing or single pair of wings, wherein the plurality of rotors and the plurality of proprotors are mounted to the single wing or single pair of wings by the plurality of booms; wherein: an innermost boom on a first side of the fuselage is longer than a middle boom on the first side of the fuselage; and the middle boom on the first side of the fuselage is longer than an outermost boom on the first side of the fuselage; the plurality of proprotors comprises a first plurality of proprotors on the 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, and the first innermost proprotor is forward of other proprotors of the first plurality of proprotors; 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, and the second innermost proprotor is forward of other proprotors of the second plurality of proprotors; 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 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. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The aircraft of claim 26, wherein each of the first innermost proprotor, the first outermost proprotor, the second innermost proprotor, and the second outermost proprotor is canted away from the fuselage. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The aircraft of claim 27, further comprising: a first outermost rotor of the first plurality of rotors; and a second outermost rotor of the second plurality of rotors, wherein each of the first innermost rotor, the first outermost rotor, the second innermost rotor, and the second outermost rotor is canted away from the fuselage.