A novel aircraft and method of controlling the same

Abstract

The application provides a new type of aircraft and a control method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicles. The new type of aircraft comprises a fuselage, wings and rotors. The wings are uniformly distributed on the periphery of the fuselage, and the rotors are fixed at the ends of the wings through motor seats. The new type of aircraft rotates stably around a central axis during flight and provides additional lift through the wings. The control method provided by the application can realize the control of other five degrees of freedom when the body is unstable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and more specifically, relates to the structure of a novel spinner aircraft and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] Among multi-rotor aircraft currently on the market, quadcopters and hexacopters are the most mature. Even-numbered rotorcraft can control their attitude and position by varying the thrust of their motors, maintaining torque balance. In comparison, tri-rotor aircraft have advantages such as compact structure, low material consumption, and good controllability, and generally consume less energy and have lower costs, making them particularly suitable for the production of micro-aircraft. However, the torque problem of tri-rotors has remained largely unresolved.

[0003] Currently, research on trirotor aircraft is limited both domestically and internationally, primarily focusing on intelligent control and nonlinear robust control research, with little progress in airframe design and control methods. Trirotor aircraft currently employ two main approaches. One straightforward method involves adding servos to the arms, using their twisting to provide a component force parallel to the fuselage, thus achieving torque balance. However, this approach requires an additional servo, increases the number of variables to be controlled, disrupts the symmetry of the multirotor, necessitates decoupling of the flight control system, and significantly increases computational complexity. Another typical solution is a coaxial counter-rotor design, installing two rotors in opposite directions to cancel out torque. However, such an aircraft effectively has six rotors, increasing structural complexity and diminishing the inherent advantages of a trirotor.

[0004] In theory, at least four motors or servos are needed to effectively control a six-degree-of-freedom object in space. Therefore, the total number of motors and servos in existing multi-rotor aircraft is no less than four. This also explains why tri-rotor aircraft need additional mechanisms to achieve stable control.

[0005] If fewer than four motors are used to control the aircraft, traditional control concepts must be abandoned, and control over one of the degrees of freedom must be relinquished. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a highly simplified novel aircraft that solves the yaw problem of existing odd-rotor aircraft at the lowest possible cost and achieves stable and controllable performance, seeking breakthroughs in low cost, low energy consumption, stability and safety for multi-rotor aircraft.

[0007] Another objective of this invention is to propose a novel aircraft control method based on periodic transformation.

[0008] This invention provides a novel type of aircraft, which is developed from a multi-rotor aircraft and abandons traditional yaw control. It will be referred to as a spin-type aircraft.

[0009] The present invention provides a novel aircraft that flies by controlled aerial spin.

[0010] The present invention provides a novel aircraft with an important feature: the sum of the torques generated by the rotation of the rotors and their interaction with the air is not equal to zero, causing the fuselage to begin spinning in the opposite direction; as the rotational speed increases, the air resistance on the fuselage increases, and when the rotational speed increases to a certain extent, the drag torque on the fuselage is equal to the sum of the torques generated by all the rotors, reaching a state of equilibrium, and the aircraft spins at a relatively stable rotational speed.

[0011] The present invention provides a novel aircraft with a highly symmetrical structure, wherein the geometric center and the center of gravity of the aircraft body coincide with the origin of the aircraft coordinate system.

[0012] The present invention provides a novel aircraft, which, in another optional feature, differs from ordinary multi-rotors in that the arms of the spin aircraft are designed in the shape of wings, thereby generating additional lift through the relative interaction with the airflow during spin, thus making the aerodynamic performance of the spin aircraft superior to that of ordinary aircraft.

[0013] This invention provides a novel aircraft in which all rotors are completely equivalent. Based on the characteristics of high-speed spin, when one rotor experiences in-flight engine failure, causing the aircraft to tilt in that direction, the other rotors can quickly reach that position through rotation to provide additional power and limit vibration to an acceptable range. Furthermore, relying on the inertia of the fuselage spin, the lift provided by the aircraft's wings will persist for a considerable period. Therefore, the spin-type aircraft can still land safely even in the event of in-flight engine failure.

[0014] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a structural technical solution as follows:

[0015] A novel aircraft includes a fuselage, wings, and rotors. The wings are evenly distributed around the periphery of the fuselage, and the rotors are fixed to the ends of each wing via motor mounts.

[0016] Preferably, the number of wings and rotors is three, with the three wings evenly distributed around the fuselage at 120° intervals, and the rotors fixed to the wing tips by motor mounts.

[0017] It should be noted that the number of wings and rotors has little impact on the basic structure, flight mechanism, and control method of the autogyro. They can be arbitrarily selected according to actual usage requirements. The above-mentioned number of wings and rotors of three is a preferred option provided by the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation of the present invention.

[0018] The present invention provides a novel aircraft, wherein the fuselage refers to the middle part of the aircraft, and its structure and function are similar to those of a conventional multi-rotor.

[0019] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the fuselage includes a frame plate and an outer shell, which are used to fix the flight control system and related sensors, electronic speed controllers, power supplies, etc., and to carry mission payloads.

[0020] The present invention provides a novel aircraft, wherein the wing refers to the connecting component between the middle part of the aircraft and the rotor, and has the function of providing lift.

[0021] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the wing adopts a double-spar structure with an extruded polystyrene (XPS) interlayer and a skin. The double spars are fixed between the fuselage panels using custom-made clamps. The double spars have a height difference. The XPS interlayer has specially shaped grooves inside for wiring to pass through.

[0022] The present invention provides a novel aircraft in which the rotor is further fixed to the end of a double beam by a motor mount, the motor mount including the custom clamp and motor plates.

[0023] The structural technical solution provided by this invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0024] (1) Compared with traditional quadcopter and hexcopter aircraft, this spin-type aircraft uses at least three rotors, consumes less materials, has fewer hardware components, and has a more compact structure.

[0025] (2) Compared with existing trirotor aircraft, this spin aircraft does not require additional control mechanisms, has a simpler structure, better symmetry, and reduces control complexity.

[0026] Spinner flight is a dynamic equilibrium, unlike traditional aircraft which require stability at three attitude angles. Spinners reduce control requirements by not controlling the angle and angular velocity of the spin, allocating more control resources to the remaining two directions. This allows for better maneuverability and adaptability to more complex environments. Under the same performance requirements, spinners reduce production costs by simplifying hardware configuration. However, they also require real-time control of each motor based on the spin state.

[0027] To achieve the above objectives, another aspect of this invention proposes a spinner control method based on periodic transformation, hereinafter referred to as the periodic control algorithm.

[0028] The periodic control algorithm provided by this invention determines the required motor speed based on the rotor's position within the cycle to achieve the desired control. Unlike traditional aircraft control systems, the periodic control algorithm of this invention does not base the motor control quantity on the individual motor numbers, but rather on the motor's position. That is, under the same desired attitude, the thrust of the same motor changes continuously throughout the cycle, while the thrust is the same for different motors passing through the same position.

[0029] The periodic control algorithm provided by this invention relies on the common acceleration or deceleration of all motors to increase or decrease lift, thereby increasing or decreasing the flight altitude.

[0030] The periodic control algorithm provided by this invention relies on the periodic speed changes of each motor to achieve the forward, backward, left, and right movements of the aircraft. Specifically, when a motor approaches the desired direction of movement, its speed decreases, reaching its lowest point when it reaches the desired direction; conversely, when a motor moves away from the desired direction, its speed increases, reaching its highest point when it reaches the opposite direction. For the aircraft, the thrust in the opposite direction will always be greater than the thrust in the desired direction, thus creating an overall torque in the desired direction, causing the fuselage to tilt in that direction. As the fuselage tilts, the thrust of each motor gradually increases, ensuring that the vertical component of the force keeps the aircraft at a constant altitude, while the horizontal component propels the aircraft in the desired direction.

[0031] The periodic control algorithm provided by this invention does not distinguish between the x-axis and y-axis in its control, but determines the tilting direction based on the desired direction. The position within the period refers to the relative position of each motor to the center of the fuselage in a geographic frame, which can be described by a period parameter.

[0032] The period parameter γ specifically refers to the angle the aircraft rotates through during its spin cycle, that is, the angle between the position of a rotor relative to the origin and its initial position. This parameter can be calculated from data obtained by the MPU module built into the flight controller.

[0033] The periodic control algorithm provided by this invention can effectively control three linear displacement degrees of freedom and two tilting degrees of freedom in space using only a minimum of three motors.

[0034] The periodic control algorithm provided by this invention preserves the peripheral functions of multirotor aircraft to the greatest extent possible, ensuring that all flight modes of the flight controller can function normally. Specifically, this invention provides a novel aircraft that is compatible with all functions of the Pix series flight controller.

[0035] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0036] (1) The spin-type aircraft proposed in this invention has opened up a new field of aircraft development and has great potential for expansion.

[0037] (2) This invention applies the airfoil design method to multi-rotor aircraft, so that the fuselage of the multi-rotor aircraft can also generate lift, which is an effective method to improve the aerodynamic efficiency of multi-rotor aircraft.

[0038] (3) The spin scheme proposed in this invention cleverly avoids the complexity of the mechanical structure of the tri-rotor and has reference value for the design of various underactuated systems.

[0039] (4) The periodic control algorithm provided by the present invention can treat each rotor as equal in terms of control, and removes the control of the z-axis direction, which can effectively reduce the computational complexity and reduce the occupation of control resources.

[0040] (5) Due to the better mechanical stability brought about by its spin characteristics, the present invention has stronger anti-interference ability, especially in the complex flow field of low Reynolds number micro-aircraft. Attached Figure Description

[0041] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0042] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the main body of a spinner aircraft in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 2 This is a side view of the fuselage of a spinner aircraft in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of a spinner aircraft in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the upper layer plate (left), middle layer plate (middle), and lower layer plate (right) in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 5 This is a model diagram of a foam interlayer in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 6 This is a motor mount in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 7This is a customized fixture in one specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 8 This is a motor chip in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 9 This is a wing cross-section in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the backward movement of the body in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the movement of the machine body braking backward and moving forward in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the distribution of motor thrust variation in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] Figure 13 In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the changes in the thrust of the three motors under different period parameters with the same desired torque are shown.

[0055] Figure 14 This is a specific embodiment of the invention showing the effect of changes in the thrust of each motor on the torque of the aircraft.

[0056] Figure 15 This is a specific embodiment of the present invention showing the changes in the thrust of the three motors under different period parameters in stunt mode.

[0057] Figure 16 In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the effect of motor thrust change on aircraft torque in stunt mode is shown.

[0058] In the diagram:

[0059] 10 is the fuselage; 11 is the fuselage shell; 12 is the upper plate; 13 is the middle plate; 14 is the lower plate; 20 is the wing; 21 is the XPS extruded board; 22 is the fiberglass skin; 23 is the carbon fiber crossbeam mounting hole; 24 is the square groove for the power supply line; 25 is the carbon fiber crossbeam; 30 is the rotor; 31 is the propeller; 32 is the motor; 40 is the connector; 41 is the custom clamp; 42 is the motor plate; 50 is the fixing position of the directional wheel. Detailed Implementation

[0060] To make the technical problems to be solved, the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0061] It should be noted that the specific dimensions, including length, height, distance, angle, etc., as well as the specific quantities and materials mentioned below, are all provided as a feasible method for practical implementation and can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0062] It should be understood that the structural design described in this invention is for functional purposes. While fulfilling basic functional requirements, different structural designs can be used depending on the application scenario. The structurally feasible approach presented below is intended to facilitate those skilled in the art in manufacturing the required verification machine without inventive effort, based on the description of this invention.

[0063] Please see Figure 1 The present invention provides a novel aircraft, comprising a fuselage 10, wings 20, and rotors 30. The fuselage includes frame panels 12-14 and an outer shell 11; the three wings are evenly distributed around the fuselage at 120° intervals; the rotors are fixed to the wingtips via motor mounts 40.

[0064] Furthermore, as a specific embodiment of the spin-type aircraft provided by the present invention, please refer to... Figure 2 The fuselage includes an upper plate 12, a middle plate 13, a lower plate 14, and an outer shell. The upper part of the lower plate is used to house mission payloads and connects to the landing gear, which consists of three directional wheels spaced 120° apart. Necessary electronic speed controllers, power supplies, and other components for the aircraft are installed between the upper and middle plates. The flight control system and related sensors are placed on the upper plate. In this embodiment of the invention, the outer shell covers the aforementioned frame plates and other components.

[0065] Furthermore, as a specific embodiment of the spin-type aircraft provided by the present invention, please refer to... Figure 4 The upper (left), middle (middle), and lower (right) layers are designed with a porous structure to reduce weight while allowing them to withstand certain impact deformation. The upper, middle, and lower layers are preferably made of carbon fiber sheets cut using a CNC engraving machine, resulting in a lightweight structure with guaranteed strength.

[0066] Furthermore, as a specific embodiment of the spin-type aircraft provided by the present invention, please refer to... Figure 3 The upper layer plate and the middle layer plate are connected by bolts, and the distance between the upper layer plate and the middle layer plate is constrained by the custom clamp 41. The middle layer plate and the lower layer plate are connected by bolts, and the distance between the middle layer plate and the upper layer plate is constrained by, for example, Figure 5The foam interlayer constraint is shown. The foam interlayer, cut from the lower plate in the top view, has through holes at corresponding positions for bolts to pass through. The foam interlayer has multiple slots in the side view for placing the task load. It should be noted that... Figure 5 The slotting is only one feasible method, and the corresponding slots can be adjusted according to different mission loads. The foam interlayer can effectively buffer the extrusion force between the lower and middle plates, dissipating energy during landing to protect the upper fuselage.

[0067] Furthermore, in one specific embodiment of the spinner aircraft provided by the present invention, the outer shell 11 is divided into an upper shell and a lower shell. The upper shell has a central protrusion and its lower end fits into the upper plate; the upper end of the lower shell is connected to the upper shell, and its lower end fits into the lower plate.

[0068] Preferably, in this embodiment of the invention, the connection between the upper and lower shells has two holes, referencing the cross-section of the carbon nanotube custom clamp, for the carbon nanotube to pass through. The corresponding positions of the upper and lower shells are reinforced by bolt connections.

[0069] Furthermore, as a specific embodiment of the spin-type aircraft provided by the present invention, please refer to... Figure 7 The custom-made clamp consists of a set of four aluminum sheets. Each sheet has an 8mm semi-circular hole on each side, vertically spaced 7.1mm apart and horizontally spaced 31.2mm apart. Grooves are formed on the aluminum sheets for weight reduction. Two 3.1mm diameter screw holes are drilled on each side of the aluminum sheet in a top view. The clamp is secured with two studs, clamping the carbon nanotubes between the carbon nanotube clamps. Each pair of carbon nanotubes requires one set of four carbon nanotube clamps. The custom-made clamp serves as a support between the upper and lower layers.

[0070] Preferably, in the embodiments of the present invention, please refer to Figure 6 The custom-designed fixture, in conjunction with two motor plates 42, forms a motor base. The motor plates are connected to two sets of custom-designed fixtures on the outside of the carbon tube via carbon tube clamp studs. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 8 The motor plate is cut from 1.5mm carbon fiber sheet. A cross-shaped slot is located in the center of the motor plate, which is then secured to the motor with four screws. The propeller is fitted onto the motor output shaft and locked in place by nuts and bolts.

[0071] Preferably, the propeller is an 8045 positive propeller.

[0072] Furthermore, as a specific embodiment of the spin-type aircraft provided by the present invention, please refer to... Figure 9 The wing shape is cut from XPS extruded board 21, and the cross-section is shown in the figure.

[0073] Preferably, the wing adopts the VR-7 airfoil. Two 8mm cylindrical holes, 32mm apart, are provided in the middle of the wing for the carbon tube 23 to pass through and be fixed. A square groove 24 is provided in the middle for the power supply cable to pass through.

[0074] Preferably, the outer periphery of the wing is covered with a fiberglass skin 22 to ensure strength.

[0075] In one specific embodiment of the invention, the lift generated by the high-speed rotation of the propeller blades driven by the motor is transmitted to four studs via the motor plates, then to the lower clamp via the lower nut and washer, and finally to the shear flow via the carbon fiber tube, thus balancing the gravity acting on the aircraft. The lift generated by the wing is also transmitted to the carbon fiber tube through direct contact.

[0076] When the propeller blades rotate at high speed, the counter-torque caused by air resistance is transmitted to the four studs via the motor plates. The four studs compress the carbon tube clamps in different directions, and the carbon tube clamps transmit the horizontal shear force to the carbon tubes, which in turn transmits shear flow, balancing the air resistance torque experienced by the aircraft. The drag generated by the wing is also transmitted to the carbon tubes through direct contact.

[0077] In one specific embodiment of the invention, the gyroplane's dimensions and size resemble a three-bladed propeller, with its internal core systems and payloads housed within the fuselage and the middle section of the arms. Except for the propeller blades, the entire aircraft has no exposed parts, resulting in excellent aerodynamic shape.

[0078] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the spin control scheme adopted by the spin-based aircraft is as follows:

[0079] The gyroplane uses three rotors and arms to provide lift, and the periodic speed changes of the three rotors provide vector control. Each of the three propellers is independently controlled by three motors. The simultaneous acceleration and deceleration of the three motors achieves the ascent and descent of the aircraft, while the periodic speed changes of the three motors achieve the tilting of the aircraft in a certain direction.

[0080] The motor's speed is controlled by an electronic speed controller (ESC), which is directly connected to the model aircraft's battery and provides power to the motor. The ESC is controlled by the flight controller via PWM signals. The flight controller is powered by the BEC of the power module and includes a CPU, accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetic compass, altimeter, etc. It generates signals through its own sensors and transmits them to the CPU. The CPU processes the signals and controls the ESC to achieve stable flight. The receiver receives signals from the ground transmitter and transmits them to the flight controller. The flight controller processes the ground signals and transmits them to the ESC, thus achieving controlled flight.

[0081] The self-rotating aircraft provided by this invention has a symmetrical structure, with its geometric center coinciding with the aircraft's center of gravity, and its three rotors are completely equivalent. Given the same thrust from all three rotors, the resultant lift of the three rotors lies in the same straight line as gravity, enabling the aircraft to hover. By increasing the lift of the three rotors by the same amount, when the vertical component of the total lift is greater than the weight of the three-rotor aircraft, the aircraft can achieve upward flight. Similarly, by decreasing the lift of the three rotors by the same amount, the vertical resultant force is downward, allowing the aircraft to descend.

[0082] Please see Figure 10 When the lift of the rotor in front of the y-axis (in the Ox-axis direction) is increased, and the lift of the rotor behind the y-axis is decreased, a positive rotational torque about the y-axis is generated in the xOz plane. This causes the tilt angle of the aircraft to increase from zero, with the lift direction pointing in the positive Ox-axis direction. Since the resultant force on the aircraft will produce a component force in the negative Ox-axis direction, it causes the aircraft to move backward.

[0083] Please see Figure 11 When the lift of the rotor behind the y-axis (in the negative direction of the Ox-axis) is increased, and the lift of the rotor in front of the y-axis is decreased, a counter-rotating torque around the y-axis is generated in the xOz plane. This causes the aircraft's tilt angle to first decrease to zero and then increase, with the lift direction changing to the negative x-axis direction. Since the resultant force on the aircraft will generate a component force in the positive x-axis direction, it causes the aircraft to brake backward and move forward.

[0084] Furthermore, for any axis of symmetry in the plane of the aircraft, increasing the thrust of the motor on one side and decreasing the thrust of the motor on the other side will cause the aircraft to tilt in the direction of the less thrust. The resultant force on the aircraft will produce a component force in the direction of decreasing motor thrust, which will cause the aircraft to move in that direction.

[0085] By tilting the aircraft in a certain direction, defining the tilt direction as forward, increasing the speed of the left motor and decreasing the speed of the right motor, while simultaneously increasing the speed of the front motor and decreasing the speed of the rear motor to keep the tilt angle constant, the direction can be changed.

[0086] When an aircraft is flying forward in a certain direction and needs to turn right, increasing the thrust of the front motor and decreasing the thrust of the rear motor can suppress the forward tendency of the aircraft; increasing the thrust of the left motor and decreasing the thrust of the right motor can make the aircraft fly to the right, thus changing its heading. Based on the magnitude of the heading change, i.e., the relationship between forward deceleration and rightward acceleration, an axis of symmetry can be determined on the aircraft's plane. Increasing the thrust of the left-front motor and decreasing the thrust of the right-rear motor along the axis of symmetry can change the flight heading. It is important to note that the position of the axis of symmetry is not fixed throughout the turn. The smaller the turning radius, the greater the change in the axis of symmetry.

[0087] It should be noted that the phrases "increasing thrust in a certain direction" and "decreasing thrust in a certain direction" are used for ease of understanding, referencing the terminology used in conventional multi-rotor aircraft. For a spinner aircraft, this involves adjusting the motor thrust through a periodic control algorithm. The motor rotates at a higher speed in the direction of "increasing thrust" and at a lower speed in the direction of "decreasing thrust." In other words, overall, the thrust in one direction is greater than in the other, thus controlling the tilt. More specifically, the motor accelerates from the direction of "decreasing thrust," reaches its maximum speed in the direction of "increasing thrust," and then begins to decelerate, repeating this cycle periodically.

[0088] It should be noted that "increasing the thrust of the motor" and "decreasing the thrust of the motor" do not simply mean increasing or decreasing the thrust by a specific amount, but rather it is related to the magnitude of the desired value and the state of the aircraft. Depending on the actual needs, the change in thrust is positively correlated with the magnitude of the desired value; for example, the greater the desired speed or angle, or the more the control stick is moved, the greater the change in thrust will be. Furthermore, the change in thrust is also related to the position of the motor. Generally, the farther the motor is from the axis of symmetry, the greater the change in thrust; the change in thrust of a motor located on the axis of symmetry is zero.

[0089] To more accurately describe the changing relationship of motor thrust, a dimensionless number B is used in this embodiment of the invention. i This describes the ratio of the change in motor thrust to the desired torque. (B) i Defined as motor factor.

[0090] A specific embodiment of the present invention will be selected for detailed description.

[0091] Please see Figure 12 The axis of symmetry is defined as the forward-backward direction, and the desired change is a roll to the right. According to the above theory, in a specific embodiment of the present invention, the rotational speed of the motor on the right side of the axis of symmetry (motor 1) will be decreased, while the rotational speed of the motor on the left side (motor 3) will be increased. Motor 2 is located on the axis of symmetry, so its thrust change is 0. At this time, the three motor factors can be recorded as (-1, 0, 1). For a spin-type aircraft, as the period parameter increases, motor 1 will continue to move away from the axis of symmetry, motor 2 will shift to the left from the axis of symmetry, and motor 3 will continue to move closer to the axis of symmetry. Correspondingly, the thrust changes corresponding to the three motors will also change.

[0092] A relatively smooth thrust variation relationship is presented here. In a specific embodiment of the invention, the desired attitude value and the boom length are both set to the dimensionless number "1". The relative magnitude of the total torque can be represented by the product of the change in motor thrust and the motor factor. According to a feasible method provided by the invention, the motor factor can be expressed as...

[0093]

[0094] Where γ is the periodic parameter, b is the angle corresponding to the axis of symmetry, N is the number of motors, and i is the motor number, from 0 to N-1.

[0095] Figure 13 The changes in thrust (X1, X2, X3) of the three motors under different period parameters with the same desired torque are shown as three sine curves with a phase difference of 2π / 3.

[0096] For details on the impact of changes in the thrust of each motor on the aircraft torque under this feasible approach, please refer to [link / reference needed]. Figure 14 The three solid sine lines (RF1, RF2, RF3) represent the contribution of the three motors to the desired attitude, while the three dashed sine curves (PF1, PF2, PF3) represent the influence of the three motors on the vertical torque. It can be seen that the value R_fac after the superposition of the three solid lines is set to 1, meaning that overall, the periodic control system can stably provide the desired torque. The value after the superposition of the three dashed lines is constant at 0, meaning that overall, the interference of the periodic control system on torques in other directions can cancel each other out.

[0097] To achieve high maneuverability, one specific embodiment of the present invention provides another feasible method suitable for stunt modes. For details on the changes in the thrust of the three motors under different cycle parameters, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 14 At any given moment, one motor is at the critical adjustment value, while the remaining two motors work together to adjust the magnitude of the total lift and the direction of the resultant torque.

[0098] For an explanation of the impact of changes in motor thrust on the aircraft torque under this feasible approach, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 15 Unlike the gentler approach in the previous embodiment of the invention, this method provides a gain of 1 to 1+1 / N in the motor's ability to adjust the desired posture, resulting in stronger adjustment performance. The value of the superimposed three dashed lines remains constant at 0, ensuring the accuracy of the control direction.

[0099] It should be noted that the above are only two optional motor factor functions provided in one specific embodiment of the present invention. In actual use, it can also be a combination of the two functions, or functions with similar forms. Theoretically, it can be proven that linear combination using the motor factor functions provided by the present invention also possesses the characteristics of motor factor functions.

[0100] More specifically, the motor factor function provided by the present invention, under ideal conditions, includes the following characteristics:

[0101] (1) In one cycle, the motor factor function is a periodic function, and the periodic parameter relative to the reference axis of symmetry is the independent variable.

[0102] (2) All equivalent motor factor functions have a period of 2π and a phase difference, the magnitude of which is determined by the frame type;

[0103] (3) The integral average of the torque generated by any motor thrust in one cycle is equivalent to a torque tilting in the desired direction.

[0104] (4) At any given moment, the combined effect of the thrust of all motors can produce a torque that tilts in the desired direction;

[0105] (5) At any given moment, the combined effect of the thrust of all motors can cancel each other out in the torque generated in the direction perpendicular to the desired direction.

[0106] It should be noted that, in special circumstances, not all of the above characteristics need to be met.

[0107] For the novel aircraft provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention, there is no readily available firmware and source code. Therefore, in a specific embodiment of the present invention, an implementation method is provided based on the open-source flight control code APM. The main modification steps are as follows:

[0108] (1) Modify the attitude calculation code in the flight control source code: libraries\AC_AttitudeControl folder, and remove the control of yaw direction from all attitude-related libraries.

[0109] (2) An algorithm for the period parameter was added to the body attitude quaternion solution function: lbraries\AC_AttitudeControl\AC_AttitudeControl.cpp, and the period parameter was calculated by combining the current attitude data of the sensor.

[0110] (3) In the multi-rotor attitude calculation derived class library: libraries\AC_AttitudeControl\AC_AttitudeControl_Multi.cpp, the calculated period parameters are passed to the motor output library corresponding to the multi-rotor.

[0111] (4) In the motor state initialization function: void setup_motors() in libraries\AP_Motors\AP_MotorMatrix.cpp, add the Y3B rack type:

[0112] add_motor_raw(AP_MOTORS_MOT_1, -1.0f, 0.500f, 0, 0);

[0113] add_motor_raw(AP_MOTORS_MOT_2, 0.0f, -1.000f, 0, 1);

[0114] add_motor_raw(AP_MOTORS_MOT_3, 1.0f, 0.500f, 0, 2);

[0115] And modify subsequent calls.

[0116] (5) In the motor output library: libraries\AP_Motors\AP_MotorMatrix.cpp, the motor factor function provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention above is used to modify and assign values ​​based on the input period parameters, and the thrust allocated to each motor is calculated by mixing, and finally the motor output is performed.

[0117] Furthermore, in one specific embodiment of the present invention, modifications were made to sensor filtering, safety switches, and other aspects to enable the flight control system to function normally on the novel aircraft provided by the present invention. Due to space limitations and because these modifications are not core components of the periodic control algorithm, they will not be described in detail here.

[0118] In the process of porting the periodic control algorithm, a specific embodiment of this invention retains all the original code except for attitude control to the greatest extent possible. Even in the attitude control part, the functions are encapsulated to ensure that all flight modes of the flight controller can work normally. Therefore, the novel aircraft provided by this invention is compatible with all functions of the Pix series flight controller.

[0119] It should be noted that this specific implementation only describes the modification of the most core part of the periodic control algorithm; the actual modification process is much more complex than described above. Unless you are a professional in this field with in-depth knowledge of this series of flight control codes and the algorithm, please do not attempt this lightly, as improper integration may lead to safety accidents.

[0120] A specific embodiment of the present invention provides a spin-type aircraft with the following advantages:

[0121] (1) Highly simplified structural design

[0122] Spinner aircraft require only three rotors and a matching fuselage, representing a significant simplification and improved reliability compared to traditional quadcopters, hexacopters, or tri-rotors with servo control. Their compact structure, low material consumption, and minimal components make them particularly suitable for the production of micro- and small aircraft.

[0123] (2) Unique flight control method

[0124] The spin-based aircraft employs a periodic control algorithm, achieving for the first time five-degree-of-freedom controllable flight. Based on the characteristics of fixed-axis spin, the spin-based aircraft possesses better mechanical stability and anti-interference capabilities.

[0125] (3) Low hardware requirements and long lifespan

[0126] Spinner aircraft eliminate the need for yaw control, thus significantly reducing the requirements for motor speed range. Utilizing periodic control, the motor speed consistently fluctuates around its optimal range, preventing periods of continuous high-power operation and extending motor lifespan. Furthermore, for spinner aircraft, the three motors are completely identical, operating with only a 2π / 3 phase difference, making them nearly identical. Therefore, the possibility of a single motor prematurely shortening its lifespan and causing premature aircraft failure cannot be avoided.

[0127] (4) Higher aerodynamic efficiency

[0128] Spinner aircraft are closer to fixed-wing aircraft in terms of aerodynamic efficiency. The arms of a spinner aircraft are designed in the shape of wings to make full use of the characteristics of spin, and can generate an additional 8-15% lift by relying on the larger aerodynamic surface.

[0129] (5) Enhanced security

[0130] When one motor of an autogyro fails in mid-air, the remaining two motors can supplement power in various directions through rotation, maintaining appropriate lift. Relying on the inertia of rotation and the effect of wind, the autogyro can maintain a certain lift and make a relatively slow forced landing, just like a gyroplane.

[0131] (6) Lower life cycle cost

[0132] In summary, spinner aircraft have advantages in terms of mechanism usage, material consumption, hardware requirements, energy consumption, and service life, resulting in reduced production and operating costs.

[0133] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A novel aircraft characterized by, It includes a fuselage, wings, and rotors, wherein the fuselage spins at high speed around a central axis during flight. The wings are evenly distributed around the fuselage. The cross-section of the wings is designed in the shape of an airfoil. The leading edge of the wings points in the direction of rotation, and the trailing edge of the wings points in the opposite direction of rotation. The leading and trailing edges of different wings do not point in the same direction. The leading and trailing edges of the wings are perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotor. The rotor is fixed to the ends of each wing via a motor mount, and the wings and rotor rotate together with the fuselage; The rotation axis of the rotor is parallel to the rotation axis of the fuselage, the rotor rotates in the same direction, and the sum of the torques generated by the rotor's rotation and interaction with the air is not equal to zero, causing the fuselage to begin spinning in the opposite direction. When the rotational speed increases to a certain level, the drag torque on the fuselage is equal to the sum of the torques generated by all the rotors, and the aircraft reaches a stable fixed-axis spin state in the air.

2. The novel aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The aircraft is symmetrical as a whole, with the geometric center and center of gravity of the fuselage coinciding with the origin of the fuselage coordinate system; the wings and rotors are evenly distributed around the fuselage, and the number of wings and rotors is not limited.

3. The novel aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein, In addition to connecting the fuselage and rotor and transmitting power, the wing can generate additional lift through its relative interaction with the airflow during spin.

4. A novel period control method of an aircraft according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The required thrust of the motor is determined based on the position of the rotor in the cycle, and the spatial movement of the aircraft is controlled by cyclic speed variation. The cyclic speed variation means that when a motor approaches the desired direction of movement, its speed is reduced, reaching the lowest speed when it reaches the desired direction of movement; when a motor moves away from the desired direction, its speed is increased, reaching the highest speed when it reaches the opposite direction of movement, thus forming a torque in the desired direction. The position in the cycle refers to the relative position of each rotor with respect to the center of the fuselage in the geographic frame, that is, the angle between the position of a rotor relative to the origin and the starting position.

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