Wing-drive mechanism, vehicle employing same, and method for controlling the wing-drive mechanism and vehicle employing same

A method of controlling a wing-drive mechanism for a vehicle having a fuselage, the wing drive mechanism including a drive wing having an adjustable pitch relative to said fuselage and which is moveable relative to said fuselage about yaw and flap axes;

• a first axis drive mechanism for moving said drive wing about said flap axis in response to a first movement input signal;
• a second axis drive mechanism for moving said drive wing about said yaw axis in response to a second movement input signal, wherein said second axis drive mechanism operates independently of said first axis drive mechanism, and a third axis drive mechanism for adjusting the pitch of said drive wing in response to a third movement input signal, wherein said third axis drive mechanism operates independently of said first and second axis drive mechanisms, said method comprising
• a) inputting a desired drive wing trajectory into a controller including a computer that is programmed to calculate said first, second and third movement input signals using a non-linear controlling function that relates desired drive wing trajectory to torques to be applied by each of said first, second and third axis drive mechanisms,
• b) using said controller, generating said first, second and third movement signals in real time, and
• c) transmitting said first, second and third movement signals to said first, second and third axis drive mechanisms, respectively, whereby said first, second and third axis drive mechanisms affect movement of the drive wing in the desired trajectory in response to said first, second and third input signals.

A vehicle that derives motion from at least one wing-drive mechanism attached to a fuselage, said vehicle comprising

• a) a fuselage;
• b) a drive wing having an adjustable pitch relative to said fuselage and being moveable relative to said fuselage about yaw and flap axes;
• c) a first axis drive mechanism for moving said drive wing about said flap axis in response to a first movement input signal;
• d) a second axis drive mechanism for moving said drive wing about said yaw axis in response to a second movement input signal, wherein said second axis drive mechanism operates independently of said first axis drive mechanism;
• and
• e) a third axis drive mechanism for adjusting the pitch of said drive wing in response to a third movement input signal, wherein said third axis drive mechanism operates independently of said first and second axis drive mechanisms.