# US 2017/0283052 A1 · Rotating wing assemblies for tailsitter aircraft > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0283052 A1 - Document ID: US20170283052A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/091,456 - Filed: 2016-04-05 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-05 - Assignees: Swift Engineering, Inc. - Applicants: Swift Engineering, Inc. - Inventors: Jonathan Moshe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170283052A1 ## CPC - B64C 29/02: having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded - B64C 3/38: Adjustment of complete wings or parts thereof - B64C 27/22: Compound rotorcraft, i.e. aircraft using in flight the features of both aeroplane and rotorcraft - B64C 29/0033: {the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage} - Y02T 50/10: Drag reduction - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A tailsitter aircraft includes one or more rotatable wings. The tailsitter aircraft optionally includes a fuselage from which wing supports extend. Each rotatable wing optionally includes a rotatable wing section having an inboard portion proximate to the fuselage, and an outboard portion distal from the fuselage. The rotatable wing section may be rotatably attached to the wing support and configured to rotate between a vertical flight configuration in which the inboard portion is positioned on an opposing side of the wing support relative to the outboard portion, and a horizontal flight configuration different from the vertical flight configuration. The wings may be rotated during flight to transition between horizontal and vertical flight configurations, and they may be rotated about multiple axes. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-13. (canceled) ### Claim 14 A vertical take-off or landing aircraft comprising: a wing support extending from an inboard region of the aircraft; a wing mounted on the wing support; a first propulsion system attached to the wing; and a second propulsion system attached to the wing; wherein the wing is positioned to rotate about an axis between a horizontal flight configuration in which the wing is generally aligned with the wing support and a vertical flight configuration in which the wing is oriented at an angle relative to the wing support, wherein the axis is positioned between the first propulsion system and the second propulsion system, and wherein the axis is oriented along a chordwise direction of the wing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The vertical take-off or landing aircraft of claim 14, further comprising a landing leg attached to the wing and extending toward a tail end of the aircraft, the landing leg positioned to at least partially support the aircraft when the aircraft is on a landing surface in the vertical flight configuration. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The vertical take-off or landing aircraft of claim 14 wherein when the aircraft is in the horizontal flight configuration, the wing has an inboard portion positioned proximate to the inboard region and a tip portion positioned distal to the inboard region, and wherein when the aircraft is in the vertical flight configuration, the inboard portion and the tip portion are positioned on opposing sides of a center of gravity of the aircraft. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The vertical take-off or landing aircraft of claim 14 wherein when the aircraft is in the horizontal flight configuration, the wing has an inboard portion positioned proximate to the inboard region and a tip portion positioned distal to the inboard region, and wherein when the aircraft is in the vertical flight configuration, the inboard portion and the tip portion are positioned on opposing sides of the wing support. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The vertical take-off or landing aircraft of claim 17, further comprising a fuselage, wherein the inboard portion is a root portion, and wherein when the aircraft is in the horizontal flight configuration, the root portion is positioned adjacent to the fuselage. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The vertical take-off or landing aircraft of claim 17 wherein when the aircraft is in the horizontal flight configuration, the inboard portion is positioned adjacent to a fixed wing segment. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The vertical take-off or landing aircraft of claim 14 wherein the angle is between 20 degrees and 160 degrees. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The vertical take-off or landing aircraft of claim 14, further comprising one or more additional wing supports, wherein the wing is rotatably attached to the additional wing supports. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The vertical take-off or landing aircraft of claim 14, further comprising an elongated recess in the wing positioned to receive the wing support. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) The vertical take-off or landing aircraft of claim 14 wherein the axis is positioned at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The vertical take-off or landing aircraft of claim 14 wherein the axis is a first axis, and wherein the wing is further positioned to rotate about a second axis different from the first axis. ### Claim 25 (canceled) ### Claim 26 (canceled) ### Claim 27 A vertical take-off or landing aircraft comprising: a fuselage; a wing support attached to the fuselage; and a rotatable wing section having an inboard portion proximate to the fuselage and an outboard portion distal from the fuselage, the rotatable wing section being rotatably attached to the wing support at a wing rotation joint and configured to rotate about an axis between a vertical flight configuration in which the inboard portion is positioned on an opposing side of the wing rotation joint relative to the outboard portion, and a horizontal flight configuration different from the vertical flight configuration; wherein the axis is oriented along a chordwise direction of the wing section. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The vertical take-off or landing aircraft of claim 27 wherein when the rotatable wing section is in the vertical flight configuration, the outboard portion and the inboard portion are located on opposite sides of a center of gravity of the aircraft. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The vertical take-off or landing aircraft of claim 27 wherein when the rotatable wing section is in the vertical flight configuration, the outboard portion and the inboard portion are located on opposite sides of the wing support. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The vertical take-off or landing aircraft of claim 27, further comprising a landing gear unit attached to the rotatable wing section, the landing gear unit positioned to at least partially support the aircraft on a surface when the rotatable wing section is in the vertical flight configuration. ### Claim 31 (depends on 27) The vertical take-off or landing aircraft of claim 27 wherein the wing support comprises a first wing support and the rotatable wing section comprises a first rotatable wing section, the aircraft further comprising a second wing support attached to the fuselage and a second rotatable wing section rotatably attached to the second wing support, wherein the first and second rotatable wing sections are configured to rotate between the horizontal flight configuration and the vertical flight configuration during flight. ### Claim 32 (depends on 27) The vertical take-off or landing aircraft of claim 27 wherein the rotatable wing section is configured to rotate to an angle between 20 degrees and 160 degrees relative to the wing support. ### Claim 33 (depends on 27) The vertical take-off or landing aircraft of claim 27 wherein the axis is positioned at a distance from an end of the rotatable wing section that is between 10 percent and 90 percent of a length of the rotatable wing section. ### Claim 34 A vertical take-off or landing aircraft comprising: a wing support extending from a main body of the aircraft; and a wing attached to the wing support, the wing comprising a root portion and a tip portion, the wing configured to rotate about an axis between a horizontal flight configuration in which the wing is generally aligned with the wing support and a vertical flight configuration in which the wing is oriented at an angle relative to the wing support; wherein the axis is oriented along a chordwise direction of the wing, and wherein the root portion and the tip portion are positioned on opposite sides of a center of gravity of the aircraft in the vertical flight configuration. ### Claim 35 (canceled) ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The vertical take-off or landing aircraft of claim 34, further comprising a first propulsion rotor connected to the wing and a second propulsion rotor connected to the wing, wherein the axis is positioned between the first propulsion rotor and the second propulsion rotor. ### Claim 37 (depends on 34) The vertical take-off or landing aircraft of claim 34, further comprising a landing leg attached to the wing and extending toward a tail end of the aircraft, the landing leg positioned to at least partially support the aircraft on a landing surface in the vertical flight configuration.