Rotorcraft

A rotorcraft comprising:

• (a) a fuselage;
• (b) at least three rotor system arms mounted on said fuselage, each said rotor system arm having a rotor system displaced from said fuselage, each said rotor system including:
• i) a mast having at least two rotor blades, and
• ii) an electric rotor motor coupled to said mast for driving said mast whereupon said at least two rotor blades act as a rotating rotor disc,
• each said rotor system of said at least three rotor systems having an individually controllable collective rotor blade pitch,
• at least one rotor system of said at least three rotor systems having a controllable cyclic rotor blade pitch;
• (c) a forward propulsion unit mounted on said fuselage for providing forward propulsion to the rotorcraft;
• and
• (d) a flight control system for controlling said at least three electric rotor motors, said collective rotor blade pitch of each said rotor system of said at least three rotor systems, said cyclic rotor blade pitch of said at least one rotor system of said at least three rotor systems and said forward propulsion unit in response to an input control indicating a desired maneuver to operate the rotorcraft for takeoff, forward flight and landing,
• wherein
• the flight control system is configured to provide forward flight by simultaneously pitching the rotorcraft upwardly and driving said forward propulsion unit thereby autorotating said at least three rotor systems.

A method for operating a rotorcraft comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a rotorcraft having:
• a fuselage,
• at least three rotor system arms mounted on the fuselage,
• each rotor system arm having a rotor system displaced from the fuselage, each rotor system including a mast having at least two rotor blades and an electric rotor motor coupled to the mast for driving the mast whereupon said at least two rotor blades act as a rotating rotor disc,
• each rotor system of the at least three rotor systems having an individually controllable collective rotor blade pitch,
• at least one rotor system of the at least three rotor systems having a controllable cyclic rotor blade pitch,
• a forward propulsion unit mounted on the fuselage for providing forward propulsion to the rotorcraft;
• and
• b) controlling the at least three electric rotor motors, the collective rotor blade pitch of each rotor system of the at least three rotor systems, the cyclic rotor blade pitch of the at least one rotor system of the at least three rotor systems, and the forward propulsion unit in response to an input control indicating a desired maneuver to operate the rotorcraft for takeoff, forward flight and landing,
• wherein the controlling provides forward flight of the rotorcraft by simultaneously pitching the rotorcraft upwardly and driving said forward propulsion unit, thereby autorotating the at least three rotor systems.