Reconfiguring vertical takeoff and landing aircraft
OwnerRamin Norouziinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to an autonomous, electric, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft that is low-noise, safe, and efficient to operate for cargo transportation over relatively long ranges. A VTOL aircraft includes a fuselage, a plurality of arms, a tail, and a plurality of propulsion systems mounted on the arms and the tail. The plurality of arms have parts that are rotatable and the tail has a part that is rotatable for transitioning the VTOL aircraft between a forward-flight configuration and a hover configuration.
Claims19
A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprising:
- a fuselage;
- a plurality of arms coupled to the fuselage, each of the plurality of arms including:
- a fixed part;
- a rotating part;
- and
- a joint connecting the rotating part to the fixed part, the joint comprising an actuator configured to rotate the rotating part relative to the fixed part,
- wherein the fixed part, the joint, and the rotating part are configured such that the rotating part moves in a horizontal plane that does not consist of the fixed part.
- a plurality of propulsion systems mounted on the fixed part and on the rotating part of each one of the plurality of arms, wherein each propulsion system includes a propeller and a motor,
- a tail configured to tilt, comprising:
- a fixed part;
- a tilting part;
- a joint connecting the tilting part to the fixed part, the joint comprising an actuator configured to rotate the tilting part relative to the fixed part;
- a wing coupled to the tilting part;
- one or more propulsion systems mounted on the tilting part, wherein each propulsion system includes a propeller and a motor.
An arm configured to support a plurality of propulsion systems of a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprising:
- a fixed part;
- a rotating part;
- and
- a joint connecting the rotating part to the fixed part, the joint comprising an actuator configured to rotate the rotating part relative to the fixed part,
- wherein the fixed part, the joint, and the rotating part are configured such that the rotating part moves in a horizontal plane that does not consist of the fixed part.
A tail configured to tilt, comprising:
- a fixed part;
- a tilting part;
- a joint connecting the tilting part to the fixed part, the joint comprising an actuator;
- a wing coupled to the tilting part;
- and
- one or more propulsion systems mounted on the tilting part, wherein each propulsion system includes a propeller and a motor,
- wherein the joint is configured to rotate the tilting part relative to the fixed part between an extended state for forward flight wherein the tilting part is horizontal and a compacted state for hover flight wherein the tilting part is vertical.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.