Aerodynamically Efficient Lightweight Vertical Take-Off And Landing Aircraft With Multi-Configuration Wing Tip Mounted Rotors
AssigneeJoby Aviation, Inc.
InventorsJoeben Bevirt, Edward Stilson, Alex Stoll, Pranay Sinha
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aerial vehicle adapted for vertical takeoff and landing using a set of wing tip mounted thrust producing elements for takeoff and landing. An aerial vehicle which is adapted to vertical takeoff with the wings in a horizontal flight attitude then transitions to a horizontal flight path. An aerial vehicle which uses different configurations of its wing tip mounted, VTOL enabling rotors to reduce drag in all flight modes.
Claims15
An aerial vehicle adapted for vertical takeoff and horizontal flight, said aerial vehicle comprising:
- an aerial vehicle body;
- three or more thrust producing elements differentially spaced relative to the thrust direction of said thrust producing elements while said vehicle body is in vertical flight;
- one or more wings;
- and
- a flight control system, said flight control system adapted control the attitude of said aerial vehicle while taking off vertically by varying the thrust of the three or more thrust producing elements;
- wherein said one or more wings comprise:
- a first left wing, said first left wing comprising a first left wing tip rotor;
- and
- a first right wing, said first right wing comprising a first right wing tip rotor.
A wing tip rotor system adapted for use as a vertical takeoff thrust element, said wing tip rotor system comprising:
- an electric motor, said electric motor comprising a rotor and a stator;
- a first blade element;
- and
- a second blade element,
- wherein said first blade element and said second blade element are coupled to said rotor, and wherein said first blade element and said second blade element are adjacent to each other and have their leading edges facing the same direction in a first configuration, and wherein said first blade element and said second blade element are opposite each other in a second configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.