56results about "Canard-type aircraft" patented technology

Apparatus, systems, and methods are contemplated for electric powered vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Such are craft are engineered to carry safely carry at least 500 pounds (approx. 227 kg) using a few (e.g., 2-4) rotors, generally variable speed rigid (non-articulated) rotors. It is contemplated that one or more rotors generate a significant amount of lift (e.g., 70%) during rotorborne flight (e.g., vertical takeoff, hover, etc), and tilt to provide forward propulsion during wingborne flight. The rotors preferably employ individual blade control, and are battery powered. The vehicle preferably flies in an autopilot or pilotless mode and has a relatively small (e.g., less than 45′ diameter) footprint.

An aircraft comprising a fuselage with a nose and a tail arranged on opposite parts to each other along a first longitudinal axis is described; a pair of half-wings arranged on respective mutually opposite sides of the fuselage; a first and a second rotor carried by respective half-wings, respectively rotatable around a second and third axis inclinable with respect to said fuselage, and independently operable from each other; the aircraft is switchable between a first hovering flight or take-off / landing configuration wherein the fourth and fifth axis are arranged orthogonal to said first axis; and a second forward flight configuration wherein the fourth and fifth axis are arranged parallel or inclined with respect to said first axis; the aircraft further comprising a tail portion comprising a first aerodynamic surface, and a third and a fourth rotor rotatable around a fixed fourth and a fifth axis; and support means of the third and fourth rotor connected to a corresponding said half-wing and to a corresponding said fin.

The invention relates to the technical field of aviation aircrafts, and particularly discloses a vertical take-off and landing aircraft which comprises an aircraft body, a main wing, a canard wing, a connecting rod, a first power unit, a second power unit and a third power unit. According to the vertical take-off and landing aircraft, the aircraft body and the connecting rods can bear loads, the loading capacity is further improved, meanwhile, the first power unit, the second power unit and the third power unit are arranged, after any power unit fails, other power units can guarantee safe operation of the vertical take-off and landing aircraft, and the safety of the vertical take-off and landing aircraft is improved. The problems that in the prior art, a vertical take-off and landing aircraft is low in loading capacity and out-of-control easily occurs after any rotor wing fails are effectively solved. Through the third power unit which is obliquely arranged at the fixed angle, a part of lift force can be provided when the vertical take-off and / or vertical landing of the vertical take-off and landing aircraft is carried out, the take-off and landing process of the vertical take-off and landing aircraft is completed through the first power unit and the second power unit, and the stability is improved.

To provide a different hybrid aircraft by maximizing the revenue load that the hybrid aircraft can transport.SOLUTION: The present invention relates to a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, a method of controlling a VTOL aircraft, and a control system for controlling a VTOL aircraft. The aircraft comprises a fuselage having wings extending along transverse axes and attached to a fuselage extending between longitudinal axes of the aircraft, and a tail unit or a front tail unit. An array of electric rotors is fixedly mounted to the airframe. The front and rear internal combustion engines are pivotally mounted to the fuselage, and the front and rear rotors are displaceable between a lift position oriented to provide vertical lift to the aircraft for vertical flight and a propulsion position in which the front and rear rotors are oriented to provide forward thrust to the aircraft for horizontal flight. The front and rear rotors provide most or all of the vertical lift for the aircraft during vertical flight.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is disclosed, including a fuselage having an elevated front section configured to accommodate antennas for obstruction- free communication and a rear section configured to hold an engine, fuel storage, battery, and payload with easy and ergonomic access for loading, unloading, and maintenance A pair of wings extends laterally from fuselage to generate lift during flight, while a pair of canards are positioned forward of the wings to improve stability. The fuselage, the wings and canards are shaped to provide a significant nose-up pitching moment, enabling longitudinal stability at positive angles of attack. A pair of booms interconnect fuselage, wings, and canards to form an interconnected box-like structure that uniformly distributes loads across the aircraft. The aircraft includes VTOL rotors for vertical thrust, concealed landing gears for reduced air drag, and a cowling system with air inlets and outlets that provide efficient engine cooling.

A vehicle, includes a main body. A fluid generator is coupled to the main body and produces a fluid stream. At least one tail conduit is fluidly coupled to the generator. First and second fore ejectors are coupled to the main body and respectively coupled to a starboard side and port side of the vehicle. The fore ejectors respectively comprise an outlet structure out of which fluid flows. At least one tail ejector is fluidly coupled to the tail conduit. The tail ejector comprises an outlet structure out of which fluid flows. A primary airfoil element includes a closed wing having a leading edge and a trailing edge. The leading and trailing edges of the closed wing define an interior region. The at least one propulsion device is at least partially disposed within the interior region.

An aircraft that includes a canard having a leading edge and a trailing edge, a forward swept and fixed wing having a trailing edge, and a plurality of tilt rotor submodules, a dovetail, and a T-tail. The plurality of tilt rotor submodules are coupled to the trailing edge of the forward swept and fixed wing. The dovetail is attached to an underside of a fuselage. The T-tail is located above the dovetail. A horizontal plane of the T-tail is at a height that is higher than a horizonal plane of the forward swept and fixed wing.

An electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle includes a fuselage containing an internal compartment which may be used to transport a person, animal, or object. The fuselage includes a canard located at a forward portion of the fuselage in front of the internal compartment. A pair of wings extend outward from the fuselage wherein each of the pair of wings contains a propulsion unit configured to provide thrust. It is desired that each propulsion unit is in fixed orientation to the fuselage and the pair of wings. A landing foot is also included and configured to rotate the fuselage into and out of a vertical orientation when on the ground. The internal compartment of the fuselage is configured to rotate to maintain an upright orientation as the fuselage is at its various orientations.

To control charging of a battery without applying an overload by power feed of a generator based on a state of charge of the battery. A charge control system includes an engine and a motor generator for supplying generated power to two motors of a VTOL rotor and a cruising rotor, a plurality of batteries including two batteries for storing the electrical power generated by the generator and supply the stored electrical power to each of the two motors, a switch for connecting or disconnecting each of the batteries to or from the generator, and a control section for controlling the switch based on a state of charge of each of the batteries to disconnect one battery with a larger charge amount out of the two batteries from the generator and connect the other battery with the smaller charge amount out of the two batteries to the generator.

A vehicle for travelling on a road and in the air is provided, comprising a fuselage extending from a forward to a rear end along a horizontal longitudinal roll axis, a pair of main wings mounted on the rear end of the fuselage, a pair of canard wings mounted to the fuselage forward of the main wings, a plurality of wheels configured to facilitate travelling on the road, and a rotor system comprising a plurality of rotors. Each of the main and canard wings extend from the fuselage in deployed positions, and are configured to be shifted to a stowed position in which it overlies the fuselage. The rotor system comprises a pair of tiltable main rotors mounted a main wing and configured to tilt through a plurality of positions between a forward position parallel with the roll axis, and an upward position parallel with the yaw axis.

This present invention relates to the field of aircraft and discloses an aircraft and a method for connecting a canard to an arm. The connection method is used to couple a canard and an arm. The canard comprises a coupling insertion portion, which comprises a plurality of fixing portions. The arm comprises an arm insertion cavity, and an insertion opening is provided at one end of the arm insertion cavity. The coupling insertion portion is configured to be inserted into the arm insertion cavity through the insertion opening and is fixed within the arm via the fixing portions. In the present invention a detachable structure is enabled between the canard and the arm, allowing the position of the center of lift to be adjusted by exchanging canards featuring different designs, thereby adapting to aircraft cabins with different centers of gravity.

A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a plenum having an intake port and an output port. A fan is coupled to a motor configured to power the fan, and the powered fan is configured to compress ambient air entering the intake port. One or more ejectors are fluidically coupled to the plenum via one or more valves. A nozzle is disposed within the output port and includes a set of vanes. The system operates in a first configuration in which the nozzle vanes are closed and the compressed ambient air exits the plenum only through the one or more valves into the one or more ejectors. The system operates in a second configuration in which the one or more valves are closed, the nozzle vanes are open and the compressed ambient air exits the plenum only through the output port.

The invention relates to a computer-implemented method for controlling an aircraft, the aircraft having a plurality of control actuators, the method comprising: determining a global force and / or moment distribution required to control a movement of the aircraft, the global force and / or moment distribution relating to a net force and / or moment acting on the aircraft; determining a local force and / or torque distribution, said local force and / or torque distribution relating to a force and / or torque contribution to said net force provided by at least one of said control actuators; and controlling at least one of the control actuators in order to generate the determined local force and / or torque. The invention also relates to an aircraft comprising a processor and a memory storing computer code which, when executed on the processor, executes the method.

Apparatus, systems, and methods are contemplated for electric powered vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Such are craft are engineered to carry safely carry at least 500 pounds (approx. 227 kg) using a few (e.g., 2-4) rotors, generally variable speed rigid (non-articulated) rotors. It is contemplated that one or more rotors generate a significant amount of lift (e.g., 70%) during rotorborne flight (e.g., vertical takeoff, hover, etc), and tilt to provide forward propulsion during wingborne flight. The rotors preferably employ individual blade control, and are battery powered. The vehicle preferably flies in an autopilot or pilotless mode and has a relatively small (e.g., less than 45' diameter) footprint.

There is described an aircraft (1, 1', 1'', 1''', 1'''', 1''''', 1'''''' 1'''''') comprising a structure (2) comprising, in turn, a nose (4) and a tail (5); a pair of half-wings (3); a first and a second rotor (20a, 20b) respectively rotatable around a third and fourth axis (B, C); a third and a fourth rotor (21a, 21b) respectively rotatable around a fifth and sixth axis (D, E); and a fifth and a sixth rotor (22a, 22b) carried by respective half-wings (3) and respectively rotatable around a seventh and eighth axis (F, G) with respect to the structure (2); the aircraft (1, 1', 1'', 1''', 1'''', 1''''', 1'''''' 1'''''') is switchable between a first hovering or taking off / landing configuration wherein the seventh and eighth axis (F, G) are arranged orthogonal to the first axis (Y); and a second forward flight configuration wherein the seventh and eighth axis (F, G) are arranged parallel or inclined with respect to the first axis (Y); the aircraft ((1, 1', 1'', 1''', 1'''', 1''''', 1'''''' 1'''''') comprises a first support beam (30) supporting the first, third and fifth rotor (20a, 21a, 23a); and a second support beam (31) supporting the second, fourth and sixth rotor (20b, 21b, 23b) each connected to a respective half- wing (3) and to a respective aerodynamic surface (9).

A method of vector propulsion in a canard / wing layout of a VTOL aircraft is disclosed. Channel wings with embedded propellers as a system can vary tilt angle depending desired flight mode. Variations in angle of tilt of the channel wing propulsors are independent to the angle of incidence of a separate lifting surfaces. Variation in angle of tilt of the channel wing propulsors are also independent to one or more channel wing propulsors. Channel wing propulsors may be used to achieve VTOL flight by tilting channel wing propulsors such that the resultant vector of the created by the propeller thrust and lift vector of the channel wing is in the vertical direction.

A vehicle includes a main body. A fluid generator is coupled to the main body and produces a fluid stream. At least one tad conduit is fluidly coupled to the generator. First and second fore ejectors are coupled to the main body and respectively coupled to a starboard side and port side of the vehicle. The fore ejectors respectively comprise an outlet structure out of which fluid flows. At least one tail ejector is fluidly coupled to the tail conduit. The tail ejector comprises an outlet structure out of which fluid flows A primary airfoil element includes a closed wing having a leading edge and a trailing edge. The leading and trailing edges of the closed wing define an interior region. The at least one propulsion device is at least partially disposed within the interior region.

We propose a VTOL aircraft (1), comprising: a fuselage (2) for transporting passengers and / or load; a front wing (3) attached to the fuselage (2); a rear wing (4) attached to the fuselage (2), behind the front wing (3) in a direction of forward flight (FF); a right connecting beam (5a) and a left connecting beam (5b), which connecting beams (5a, 5b) structurally connect the front wing (3) and the rear wing (4), which connecting beams (5a, 5b) are spaced apart from the fuselage (2); and at least two lifting units (M1-M6) on each one of the connecting beams (5a, 5b), which lifting units (M1-M6) each comprise at least one propeller (6b) and at least one motor (6a) driving said propeller (6b), preferably an electric motor, and are arranged with their respective propeller axis in an essentially vertical orientation (z); wherein the front wing (3), at least in portions thereof, has a sweep angle γ between γ = 45° and γ = 135°, preferably γ = 75°, and the rear wing (4), at least in portions thereof, has a forward sweep with sweep angle β ≥ 30°, preferably, β = 65°.

According to the present disclosure, a vehicle configured to travel on roads and fly through the air is provided. The vehicle of the present disclosure includes a fuselage extending from a forward end to an aft end along a roll axis of the vehicle, a pair of main wings attached to the aft end of the fuselage, a pair of canards attached to the fuselage forward of the main wings, a plurality of wheels configured to enable travel on roads, and a rotor system including a plurality of rotors. Each of the main wings and the canards is configured to be displaced from the fuselage to a position extending along the pitch axis of the vehicle when deployed, and to be displaced to a position overlapping the fuselage when retracted. The rotor system includes a pair of tiltable main rotors respectively attached to each of the main wings, and each tiltable main rotor is configured to be tiltably displaced to a plurality of tilt positions between a forward position in which its rotation axis is substantially parallel to the roll axis of the vehicle and an upper position in which its rotation axis is substantially parallel to the yaw axis of the vehicle.

A first power source includes a high discharge rate battery and a second power source includes a high energy battery. An electronically activated switch switches between the first power source and the second power source in response to a control signal from a power controller. If the electronically activated switch fails, it fails with one of the first power source and the second power source in an open circuit position and with the other one of the first power source and the second power source in a closed circuit position. The power controller generates the control signal, including by: during a vertical landing associated with a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle, generating the control signal to switch from the high energy battery to the high discharge rate battery independent of a measured current.

There is described a convertible aircraft (1, 1', 1", 1‴, 1ʺʺ, 1‴ʺ, 1‴‴ 1‴‴) comprising a structure (2) comprising, in turn, a nose (4) and a tail (5); a pair of half-wings (3); a first and a second rotor (20a, 20b) respectively rotatable around a third and fourth axis (B, C); a third and a fourth rotor (21a, 21b) respectively rotatable around a fifth and sixth axis (D, E); and a fifth and a sixth rotor (22a, 22b) carried by respective half-wings (3) and respectively rotatable around a seventh and eighth axis (F, G) with respect to the structure (2); the aircraft (1, 1', 1", 1‴, 1ʺʺ, 1‴ʺ, 1‴‴ 1‴‴) is switchable between a first hovering or taking off / landing flight configuration wherein the seventh and eighth axis (F, G) are arranged transversely to the first axis (Y); and a second forward flight configuration wherein the seventh and eighth axis (F, G) are arranged parallel to the first axis (Y); the first and second rotor (20a, 20b) are carried by respective half-wings (3); the seventh and eighth axis (F, G) are arranged offset with respect to the third and fourth axis (B, C) along the first axis (Y), the aircraft ((1, 1', 1", 1‴, 1ʺʺ, 1‴ʺ, 1‴‴ 1‴‴) comprises a centre of gravity (W) interposed between the seventh and eighth axis (F, G) and the third and fourth axis (B, C).

A series of convertible aircrafts with a core with an airframe defining a first axis is described; a first, a second, a third, a fourth, a fifth and a sixth rotor which are rotatable about respective first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth axis, and operable independently of each other so as to generate respectively a first, a second, a third, a fourth, a fifth and a sixth thrust value independent of each other; the core comprises an electric power source and electric motors which are connected to said first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth rotor; each aircraft of the series comprises a module associated with a respective architecture and interfaced with said core.

There is described an aircraft (1, 1', 1", 1‴, 1"", 1‴ʺ, 1‴‴ 1‴‴) comprising a structure (2) comprising, in turn, a nose (4) and a tail (5); a pair of half-wings (3); a first and a second rotor (20a, 20b) respectively rotatable around a third and fourth axis (B, C); a third and a fourth rotor (21a, 21b) respectively rotatable around a fifth and sixth axis (D, E); and a fifth and a sixth rotor (22a, 22b) carried by respective half-wings (3) and respectively rotatable around a seventh and eighth axis (F, G) with respect to the structure (2); the aircraft (1, 1', 1" , 1‴, 1"", 1‴ʺ, 1‴‴ 1‴‴) is switchable between a first hovering or taking off / landing configuration wherein the seventh and eighth axis (F, G) are arranged orthogonal to the first axis (Y); and a second forward flight configuration wherein the seventh and eighth axis (F, G) are arranged parallel or inclined with respect to the first axis (Y); the aircraft ((1, 1', 1", 1‴, 1ʺʺ, 1‴ʺ, 1‴‴ 1‴‴) comprises a first support beam (30) supporting the first, third and fifth rotor (20a, 21a, 23a); and a second support beam (31) supporting the second, fourth and sixth rotor (20b, 21b, 23b) each connected to a respective half-wing (3) and to a respective aerodynamic surface (9). (Fig. 1)

An aircraft comprising a fuselage with a nose and a tail arranged on opposite parts to each other along a first longitudinal axis is described; a pair of half-wings arranged on respective mutually opposite sides of the fuselage; a first and a second rotor carried by respective half-wings, respectively rotatable around a second and third axis inclinable with respect to said fuselage, and independently operable from each other; the aircraft is switchable between a first hovering flight or take-off / landing configuration wherein the fourth and fifth axis are arranged orthogonal to said first axis; and a second forward flight configuration wherein the fourth and fifth axis are arranged parallel or inclined with respect to said first axis; the aircraft further comprising a tail portion comprising a first aerodynamic surface, and a third and a fourth rotor rotatable around a fixed fourth and a fifth axis; and support means of the third and fourth rotor connected to a corresponding said half-wing and to a corresponding said fin.

A vehicle includes a main body and at least one wing coupled to the main body. A source of compressed fluid is coupled to the main body. The vehicle further includes first and second thrusters, each said first and second thruster having an intake structure and each said first and second thruster in fluid communication with the source. The first thruster is coupled to the main body and the second thruster is coupled to the at least one wing. The first and second thrusters are positioned, when in a first configuration, such that at least a portion of a boundary layer produced due to motion of the vehicle is ingested by the intake structures of the first and second thrusters. The vehicle further includes a system for selectively providing the compressed fluid to the first and second thrusters.

Apparatus, systems, and methods are contemplated for electric powered vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Such are craft are engineered to carry safely carry at least 500 pounds (approx. 227 kg) using a few (e.g., 2-4) rotors, generally variable speed rigid (non-articulated) rotors. It is contemplated that one or more rotors generate a significant amount of lift (e.g., 70%) during rotorborne flight (e.g., vertical takeoff, hover, etc), and tilt to provide forward propulsion during wingborne flight. The rotors preferably employ individual blade control, and are battery powered. The vehicle preferably flies in an autopilot or pilotless mode and has a relatively small (e.g., less than 45' diameter) footprint.