# US 2021/0276710 A1 · Aircraft and method for operating an aircraft > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0276710 A1 - Document ID: US20210276710A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/262,162 - Filed: 2019-07-24 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2018-07-27 - Assignees: SilentWings GmbH - Applicants: SilentWings GmbH - Inventors: Stefan Mändl - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276710A1 ## CPC - B64C 29/02: having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded - B64C 1/068: {Fuselage sections} - B64C 5/02: Tailplanes - B64C 13/50: using electrical energy - B64C 39/04: having multiple fuselages or tail booms - B64U 10/25: Fixed-wing aircraft (VTOL aircraft B64U10/20) - B64U 30/10: Wings - B64U 50/13: using external fans or propellers - F16H 19/08: for interconverting rotary motion and oscillating motion - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR - F16H: GEARING ## Abstract The invention relates to an aircraft and a method for operating an aircraft comprising at least one fuselage (7), which has a front fuselage section (7a) and a rear fuselage section (7b), at least one wing (1) provided in the region of the front fuselage section (7a), at least one first drive device (2) provided in the region of the front fuselage section (7a) and/or on the wing (1), which is configured to generate propulsion and/or lift, and at least one tailplane (3), which is configured to rotate and/or stabilize the aircraft during flight about a transverse axis of the aircraft, wherein the tailplane (3) is attached to the fuselage (7) and the rear fuselage section (7b) is pivotable relative to the front fuselage section (7a) about a pivot axis (S2) substantially parallel to the transverse axis of the aircraft and/or the tailplane (3) is attached to at least one support element (6) mounted on the fuselage (7) and/or on the wing (1), which support element (6) is pivotable relative to the fuselage (7) or to the wing (1) about a pivot axis (S1) substantially parallel to the transverse axis of the aircraft. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aircraft comprising at least one fuselage, which has a front fuselage section and a rear fuselage section, at least one wing provided in the region of the front fuselage section, at least one first drive device provided in the region of the front fuselage section and/or on the wing and configured to generate propulsion and/or lift, and at least one tailplane which is configured to rotate and/or stabilize the aircraft about a transverse axis of the aircraft during flight, characterized in that the tailplane is attached to the fuselage, and the rear fuselage section can be pivoted relative to the front fuselage section about a first pivot axis which is substantially parallel to the transverse axis of the aircraft, and/or is attached to at least one support element which is mounted on the fuselage and/or on the wing and which can be pivoted relative to the fuselage and/or to the wing about a second pivot axis which is substantially parallel to the transverse axis of the aircraft. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aircraft according to claim 1, comprising at least one pivoting device, which is configured to pivot the rear fuselage section relative to the front fuselage section and/or the at least one support element relative to the fuselage or the wing about the first or second pivot axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The aircraft according to claim 2, wherein the pivoting device is configured to pivot the rear fuselage section or the at least one support element from a first orientation to a second orientation which is substantially perpendicular to the first orientation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The aircraft according to claim 3, wherein, in the first orientation, the rear fuselage section or the at least one support element is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft, and, in the second orientation, the rear fuselage section or the at least one support element is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The aircraft according to claim 2, wherein the pivoting device comprises a pivot drive unit, in particular a motor, and a pivot gear mechanically coupled to the pivot drive unit, by means of which the rear fuselage section is pivotable relative to the front fuselage section and/or the at least one carrier element is pivotable relative to the fuselage and/or the wing about the first or second pivot axis, the pivot gear being designed as a self-locking gear. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The aircraft according to claim 5, wherein the pivot gear comprises: a helical gear element, in particular a worm, which can be set into a rotational movement about a first axis of rotation by the pivot drive unit, and a gear wheel, in particular a worm wheel, which engages in the helical gear element and can be rotated by a rotary movement of the gear element about the first axis of rotation about a second axis of rotation which is substantially perpendicular to the first axis of rotation and which preferably runs along the first or second pivot axis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The aircraft according to claim 1, comprising at least one second drive device provided on the tailplane and/or on the rear fuselage section and/or on the at least one support element and configured to generate lift. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the second drive device is designed as an impeller which is, in particular fixedly, integrated into the tailplane attached to the rear fuselage section or to the at least one support element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the second drive device is arranged and/or configured such that the second drive device generates a lift, in particular an additional lift, if in the second orientation the rear fuselage section or the at least one carrier element runs or is oriented substantially perpendicular to the, in particular vertically oriented, longitudinal axis of the aircraft. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the second drive device provided on the tailplane is configured to generate a drive force in at least one direction, and, by pivoting, in particular only by pivoting, the rear fuselage section together with the tailplane attached thereto about the first pivot axis or the at least one carrier element together with the tailplane attached thereto about the second pivot axis, the second drive device can be brought into a position and/or orientation in which the direction of the drive force which can be generated by the second drive device substantially corresponds to the direction of a lift force which can be generated by the first drive device, so that a lift can be generated by both the first drive device and the second drive device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the first drive device and/or the second drive device has or have a thrust vector control by which the strength and/or the direction of the respectively generated propulsion or lift can be varied. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The aircraft according to claim 1, comprising a control device configured to control the aircraft in a first hovering mode, in which the aircraft can take off and/or land, such that the longitudinal axis of the aircraft is substantially vertical, the rear fuselage section or the at least one support element is pivoted into a second orientation which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, and the lift of the aircraft is generated by the first and second drive device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The aircraft according to claim 1, comprising a control device configured to control the aircraft in a second hovering mode, in which the aircraft can take off and/or land, such that the longitudinal axis of the aircraft is substantially vertical, the rear fuselage section or the at least one support element is pivoted into a first orientation which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, and the lift of the aircraft is generated, in particular only, by the first drive device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The aircraft according to claim 1, comprising a control device configured to control the aircraft in a forward flight mode, in which the aircraft can fly forward, such that the longitudinal axis of the aircraft is substantially horizontal, the rear fuselage section or the at least one support element is pivoted into a first orientation which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, and the propulsion of the aircraft is generated, in particular only, by the first drive device, and the lift of the aircraft is generated by the wing and the tailplane. ### Claim 15 A method for operating an aircraft, the aircraft comprising: at least one fuselage, which has a front fuselage section and a rear fuselage section, at least one wing provided in the region of the front fuselage section, at least one first drive device provided in the region of the front fuselage section and/or on the wing and configured to generate a propulsion and/or lift, and at least one tailplane which is configured to rotate and/or stabilize the aircraft about a transverse axis of the aircraft during flight, characterized in that the tailplane is attached to the fuselage, and the rear fuselage section is pivoted relative to the front fuselage section about a first pivot axis which is substantially parallel to the transverse axis of the aircraft and/or the tailplane is attached to at least one support element which is mounted on the fuselage and/or on the wing and which is pivoted relative to the fuselage and/or the wing about a second pivot axis which is substantially parallel to the transverse axis of the aircraft. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein a second drive device is provided on the tailplane and configured to generate a drive force in one direction, and, by pivoting, in particular only by pivoting, the rear fuselage section together with the tailplane attached thereto about the first pivot axis and/or the at least one carrier element together with the tailplane attached thereto about the second pivot axis, the second drive device is brought into a position and/or orientation in which the direction of the drive force which can be generated and/or is generated by the second drive device substantially corresponds to the direction of a lift force which can be generated and/or is generated by the first drive device, so that a lift can be or is generated by both the first drive device and the second drive device.