Fold-Out Propeller Tip Extensions
AssigneeWing Aviation LLC
InventorsGiulia Pantalone, André Prager
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A propeller blade for an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) is disclosed. The UAV includes a plurality of lift propellers and at least one thrust propeller. Each of the plurality of thrust propellers includes a thrust propeller blade coupled to a hub of the thrust propeller. The thrust propeller blade is configured such that a centrifugal force acting on the thrust propeller blade causes a thrust propeller disk area to increase from a first disk area when the UAV is in a first operational state to a second disk area when the UAV is in a second operational state.
Claims20
An unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) comprising:
- a plurality of lift propellers configured to provide lift to the UAV;
- and
- a thrust propeller configured to provide thrust to the UAV, wherein the thrust propeller comprises:
- a thrust propeller blade coupled to a hub of the thrust propeller, wherein a centrifugal force acting on the thrust propeller blade causes a thrust propeller disk area to increase from a first disk area when the UAV is in a first operational state to a second disk area when the UAV is in a second operational state.
An unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) comprising:
- a first plurality of propellers that operate during at least one of a takeoff or landing operation of the UAV;
- and
- a second plurality of propellers that operate during forward flight operation of the UAV;
- wherein each of the first plurality of propellers has a larger disk area during the takeoff or landing operation than during forward flight operation.
A method, comprising:
- operating a propeller of an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) below a threshold rotations per minute (“RPM”) when the UAV is in at least one of a takeoff or landing operation, wherein the propeller comprises a distal portion movably coupled to a proximate portion;
- and
- operating the propeller above the threshold RPM when the UAV is in a forward flight operation, wherein a disk area of the propeller is larger during the forward flight operation than during at least one of the takeoff or landing operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.