US 2026/0145778 A1Published application

Control of Vertical Take Off and Landing Aircraft

OwnerGaylord Olsoninventor

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Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling the motion, flight, and stability of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft are disclosed. These systems employ four or more stabilators with airfoil cross-sections to redirect airflow from rotor blades, allowing independent adjustment for hover, roll, yaw, pitch, and forward or reverse movement. In one configuration, the VTOL aircraft transitions between helicopter and fixed-wing modes during flight, with stabilators augmenting lift in fixed-wing mode. Additional yaw control surfaces redirect thrust from engines to enhance maneuverability. The design enables low-cost, easily maintained VTOL aircraft capable of achieving forward speeds greater than those of traditional helicopters.

Claims21

Dependent claims

An aircraft capable of a helicopter mode of flight and having yaw, pitch and roll controls in flight, said aircraft comprising:

a fuselage having a front, a rear, a port side, a starboard side, wherein said fuselage has a longitudinal axis that extends from said front to said rear, and a vertical axis that is perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said fuselage;
rotor blades that when in said helicopter mode rotate about a rotational axis substantially parallel to said vertical axis, therein producing a downwash of air that passes over and around said fuselage;
a forward port stabilator that is independently movable about a first axis, wherein said forward port stabilator extends from said port side of said fuselage at a first position that is closer to said front of said fuselage than said rear of said fuselage;
a rear port stabilator that is independently movable about a second axis, wherein said rear port stabilator extends from said port side of said fuselage at a second position that is closer to said rear of said fuselage than said front of said fuselage;
a forward starboard stabilator that is independently movable about a third axis, wherein said forward starboard stabilator extends from said starboard side of said fuselage at a third position that is closer to said front of said fuselage than said rear of said fuselage;
a rear starboard stabilator that is independently movable about a fourth axis, wherein said rear starboard stabilator extends from said starboard side of said fuselage at a fourth position that is closer to said rear of said fuselage than said front of said fuselage;
and
wherein said first axis, said second axis, said third axis and said fourth axis are all perpendicular to both said longitudinal axis and said vertical axis, and wherein said forward port stabilator, said rear port stabilator, said forward starboard stabilator, and said rear starboard stabilator all have airfoil cross-sections that create varying amounts of lift and drag depending upon orientation relative to said downwash of air created by said rotor blades, wherein said forward port stabilator, said rear port stabilator, said forward starboard stabilator, and said rear starboard stabilator are selectively adjusted to create varying degrees of said lift and said drag within said downwash of air created by said rotor blades, therein providing said yaw, pitch and roll controls in flight.

5 more elements

A method of controlling the motion and stability of an aircraft having a helicopter mode of flight, comprising:

providing a fuselage having a front, a rear, a port side, a starboard side, wherein said fuselage has a longitudinal axis that extends from said front to said rear, and a vertical axis that is perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said fuselage;
providing rotor blades mounted such that when in said helicopter mode said rotor blades rotate about a rotational axis substantially parallel to said vertical axis, therein producing a downwash of air along said rotational axis that passes over and around said fuselage;
providing a forward port stabilator that is independently movable about a first axis, wherein said forward port stabilator extends from said port side of said fuselage at a first position that is closer to said front of said fuselage than said rear of said fuselage;
providing a rear port stabilator that is independently movable about a second axis, wherein said rear port stabilator extends from said port side of said fuselage at a second position that is closer to said rear of said fuselage than said front of said fuselage;
providing a forward starboard stabilator that is independently movable about a third axis, wherein said forward starboard stabilator extends from said starboard side of said fuselage at a third position that is closer to said front of said fuselage than said rear of said fuselage;
providing a rear starboard stabilator that is independently movable about a fourth axis, wherein said rear starboard stabilator extends from said starboard side of said fuselage at a fourth position that is closer to said rear of said fuselage than said front of said fuselage;
selectively adjusting said forward port stabilator, said rear port stabilator, said forward starboard stabilator, and said rear starboard stabilator within said downwash of air when said aircraft is in flight to provide said yaw, pitch and roll controls to said aircraft.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

An aircraft capable of a helicopter mode of flight and having yaw, pitch and roll controls in flight, said aircraft comprising:

a fuselage having a front, a rear, a port side, a starboard side, wherein said fuselage has a longitudinal axis that extends from said front to said rear, and a vertical axis that is perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said fuselage;
rotor blades that when in said helicopter mode rotate about a rotational axis substantially parallel to said vertical axis, therein producing a downwash of air that passes over and around said fuselage;
a forward port stabilator that is independently movable about a first axis, wherein said forward port stabilator extends from said port side of said fuselage at a first position that is closer to said front of said fuselage than said rear of said fuselage;
a rear port stabilator that is independently movable about a second axis, wherein said rear port stabilator extends from said port side of said fuselage at a second position that is closer to said rear of said fuselage than said front of said fuselage;
a forward starboard stabilator that is independently movable about a third axis, wherein said forward starboard stabilator extends from said starboard side of said fuselage at a third position that is closer to said front of said fuselage than said rear of said fuselage;
a rear starboard stabilator that is independently movable about a fourth axis, wherein said rear starboard stabilator extends from said starboard side of said fuselage at a fourth position that is closer to said rear of said fuselage than said front of said fuselage;
and
wherein said first axis, said second axis, said third axis and said fourth axis are all perpendicular to both said longitudinal axis and said vertical axis, and wherein said forward port stabilator, said rear port stabilator, said forward starboard stabilator, and said rear starboard stabilator all have airfoil cross-sections that create varying amounts of lift and drag depending upon orientation relative to said downwash of air created by said rotor blades, wherein said forward port stabilator, said rear port stabilator, said forward starboard stabilator, and said rear starboard stabilator are selectively adjusted to create varying degrees of said lift and said drag within said downwash of air created by said rotor blades, therein providing said yaw, pitch and roll controls in flight.

5 more elements