A water-air cross-medium aircraft and system

CN119160428BActive Publication Date: 2026-09-11HANGZHOU INTERNATIONAL INNOVATION INSTITUTE OF BEIHANG UNIVERSITY
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202411503076.6
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-10-25
Publication Date
2026-09-11
Estimated Expiration
2044-10-25

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

[0006]本发明针对目前缺少适应水下飞行与空中飞行两种模式的水空跨介质飞行器的机身设计方案的问题,以及水空跨介质飞行器空中动力机构在水下往往容易损坏的问题,提供一种水空跨介质飞行器及系统,以解决该技术问题,配置能够收拢的螺旋桨作为空中动力机构,螺旋桨在水下时不易因为浸水而损坏,收拢的螺旋桨也不易受到水流冲击

Benefits of technology

[0029] (I) The airframe in this design is equipped with both air and underwater propulsion mechanisms, enabling it to fly both in the air and underwater. The airframe includes a nose and a fuselage. An empty cargo bay is located inside the rear of the fuselage, and a water-permeable hole communicating with the cargo bay is also provided at the rear of the fuselage. When the water-air-transmedia aircraft is in flight, the cargo bay is empty, resulting in a relatively small overall mass, suitable for airborne flight. When the water-air-transmedia aircraft lands on the water surface, the rear of the fuselage is submerged, and some water enters the lower part of the cargo bay through the water-permeable hole, increasing the overall density of the water-air-transmedia aircraft and gradually shifting its center of gravity towards the rear, promoting stable buoyancy on the water surface. When the water-air-transmedia aircraft enters the water and adopts an underwater flight attitude, the cargo bay can be completely filled with water, further increasing the overall mass and density of the water-air-transmedia aircraft. In other words, the cargo bay can automatically fill or empty with water, adjusting the overall density of the water-air-transmedia aircraft in the air, making it suitable for underwater flight.

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Abstract

The application relates to a water-air-crossing medium aircraft and system, which comprises a central-symmetrical machine body with a machine head and a machine body, the machine head is located at the front side of the machine body, the rear end of the inside of the machine body is further provided with an empty load bin, and the rear end of the machine body is provided with a water-permeable hole which is communicated with the empty load bin; the empty load bin is filled with water or emptied of water under water and in the air respectively, so that the density of the machine body of the unmanned aircraft can adapt to two modes of underwater flight and air flight. The machine body is provided with underwater power mechanisms and air power mechanisms, the air power mechanisms comprise a propeller which is connected with the machine body, the propeller is not easy to be damaged by water flow under water, the propeller comprises a hub which is controlled to rotate, a limiting structure which is arranged at the front side of the hub and a plurality of blades which are uniformly arranged around the axis of the hub, each blade is hinged with the hub. When flying under water, the blades which are hinged with the hub are retracted close to the rotating axis of the hub due to fluid resistance, so that the propeller is not easy to be damaged by water flow.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of water-air transmedia aircraft, and more particularly to a water-air transmedia aircraft and system. Background Technology

[0002] In order to expand the operating environment and application scope of existing aircraft and make full use of the advantages of the high stealth of underwater flight and the high maneuverability of air flight, aviation scientists and engineers in various countries are currently developing aircraft with the ability to fly both underwater and air. These aircraft have both air and underwater flight capabilities and have important application value in fields such as reconnaissance, detection, search and rescue, and communication.

[0003] However, no mature amphibious cross-medium aircraft has yet been successfully developed. Therefore, developing amphibious cross-medium unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has enormous potential application value. The aerial propulsion mechanisms that drive UAVs in the air are generally turbojet engines and propellers; the underwater propulsion mechanisms that drive UAVs underwater are generally propeller thrusters or waterjet propulsion systems. However, current amphibious cross-medium aircraft mainly suffer from the following problems:

[0004] 1. Airborne propulsion systems are often damaged underwater due to water flow or immersion, making them unsuitable for both underwater and airborne flight modes.

[0005] 2. The airframe density of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) needs to be adapted to both underwater and aerial flight modes. When flying in the air, the overall airframe density of the UAV is required to be low in order to reduce the power demand in the air flight state. When flying underwater, the airframe density of the UAV needs to be as high as possible or equal to the density of water in order to reduce the energy consumption used to control the UAV to maintain the underwater state. However, there is currently a lack of airframe design schemes that can meet these conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention addresses the current lack of fuselage design schemes for water-to-air cross-medium aircraft adaptable to both underwater and aerial flight modes, as well as the issue of the aerial propulsion mechanism of water-to-air cross-medium aircraft being easily damaged underwater. It provides a water-to-air cross-medium aircraft and system to solve these technical problems. The system features a retractable propeller as the aerial propulsion mechanism, which is less prone to damage from water immersion and less susceptible to water flow impact when retracted. The fuselage includes an empty cargo compartment that can be automatically filled with or emptied of water, allowing the unmanned aerial vehicle's fuselage density to adapt to both underwater and aerial flight modes.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0008] A water-air cross-medium aircraft includes a teardrop-shaped, centrally symmetrical fuselage with a nose and a fuselage. The nose is located at the front of the fuselage, and an empty cargo compartment is provided at the rear end of the fuselage. A water-permeable hole communicating with the empty cargo compartment is opened at the rear end of the fuselage.

[0009] The aircraft is provided with an underwater propulsion mechanism for providing underwater flight power and an air propulsion mechanism for providing air flight power. The underwater propulsion mechanism includes an underwater thruster connected to the rear end of the fuselage. The air propulsion mechanism includes a propeller connected to the fuselage. The propeller includes a controlled rotating hub, a limiting structure set at the front end of the hub, and a plurality of blades evenly arranged around the axis of the hub. Each blade is hinged to the hub, and the hinge axis between the blade and the hub is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the hub.

[0010] When the rotor hub rotates, the blades hinged to the rotor hub rotate and unfold under the action of centrifugal force until they abut against the limiting structure; when the rotor hub stops rotating, the blades hinged to the rotor hub retract and approach the rotation axis of the rotor hub due to their own weight or the fluid resistance during underwater flight.

[0011] Preferably, the body is further provided with a water inlet / outlet attitude adjustment mechanism, which includes a watertight chamber inside the head, a flexible water storage bladder inside the watertight chamber, and a bidirectional water pump connected to the water storage bladder. One flow port of the bidirectional water pump is connected to the water storage bladder, and the other flow port is connected to the rear end of the body.

[0012] The bidirectional water pump adjusts the overall density of the aircraft and the position of its center of mass along the long axis of the fuselage by changing the amount of water stored in the water bladder. When the water in the water bladder switches between an empty state and a full state, the numerical range of the overall density of the aircraft includes the density of water. When the water in the water bladder is empty and the water-air transmedium aircraft floats on the water surface, the center of mass of the aircraft is located behind the center of gravity. When the empty compartment is filled with water and the water in the water bladder is empty, the overall density of the water-air transmedium aircraft is less than the density of water.

[0013] Preferably, four or six fixed wings are connected to the side of the fuselage, and the trailing edge of the fixed wing is provided with a controlled rotating slipstream rudder. The rotation axis of the slipstream rudder is parallel to the wing surface of the fixed wing and perpendicular to the long axis of the fuselage.

[0014] When the fuselage is connected to four fixed wings, two of the fixed wings are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the fuselage, and the other two fixed wings are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the plane where the wings are located, forming two mutually symmetrical vertical tails.

[0015] When the fuselage is connected to six fixed wings, two of the fixed wings are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the fuselage, and the remaining four fixed wings are arranged in pairs on both sides of the plane where the wings are located. The two fixed wings in the same pair are located on the same side of the plane where the wings are located and form a V-shaped vertical tail.

[0016] Preferably, the fixed wing is a delta wing.

[0017] Preferably, with the wing surface of the fixed wing as the reference plane, when the slipstream rudder rotates relative to the fixed wing, the angle range of the slipstream rudder's rotation relative to the wing surface is ±30°.

[0018] Preferably, the air power mechanism includes multiple propellers, each propeller being connected to a fixed wing, and the rotation axis of the propellers being parallel to the long axis of the fuselage.

[0019] Preferably, for a slipstream rudder and a propeller connected to the same fixed wing, the slipstream rudder is disposed within the slipstream zone of the propeller.

[0020] Preferably, the water-air cross-medium aircraft further includes a rotary motor for driving each propeller to rotate and a power battery for supplying power to all the rotary motors. The power supply line between the power battery and the rotary motors is also equipped with an electronic speed controller to control the rotational speed of each propeller.

[0021] Preferably, the underwater thruster is also powered by a power battery, and the electronic speed controller is also connected to the power supply line between the power battery and the underwater thruster.

[0022] Preferably, the underwater propulsion mechanism includes an underwater thruster connected to the rear of the fuselage.

[0023] Preferably, the underwater propulsion mechanism includes an underwater thruster connected to the rear of the fuselage.

[0024] Preferably, the fixed wing of the water-air cross-medium aircraft is also connected to a support structure, the rear end of which is located behind the underwater thruster.

[0025] Preferably, the inlet and outlet of the underwater thruster are located at the front and rear ends of the underwater thruster, respectively, and a plurality of flow guide notches are provided on the edge of the rear end of the fuselage, and the flow guide notches are evenly arranged around the circumference of the fuselage.

[0026] Preferably, the water-air cross-medium aircraft further includes flight control equipment for controlling flight attitude. The flight control equipment includes sensors and an onboard computer. The sensors include attitude sensors and a positioning module. The onboard computer controls the operation of the air power mechanism, the underwater power mechanism, and the water entry / exit attitude adjustment mechanism based on the information data measured by the sensors.

[0027] A water-air cross-medium aircraft system includes a ground control station and the aforementioned water-air cross-medium aircraft. The ground control station includes a terminal device with built-in control software. The terminal device is connected to the onboard computer of the water-air cross-medium aircraft via uplink and downlink.

[0028] The beneficial technical effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0029] (I) The airframe in this design is equipped with both air and underwater propulsion mechanisms, enabling it to fly both in the air and underwater. The airframe includes a nose and a fuselage. An empty cargo bay is located inside the rear of the fuselage, and a water-permeable hole communicating with the cargo bay is also provided at the rear of the fuselage. When the water-air-transmedia aircraft is in flight, the cargo bay is empty, resulting in a relatively small overall mass, suitable for airborne flight. When the water-air-transmedia aircraft lands on the water surface, the rear of the fuselage is submerged, and some water enters the lower part of the cargo bay through the water-permeable hole, increasing the overall density of the water-air-transmedia aircraft and gradually shifting its center of gravity towards the rear, promoting stable buoyancy on the water surface. When the water-air-transmedia aircraft enters the water and adopts an underwater flight attitude, the cargo bay can be completely filled with water, further increasing the overall mass and density of the water-air-transmedia aircraft. In other words, the cargo bay can automatically fill or empty with water, adjusting the overall density of the water-air-transmedia aircraft in the air, making it suitable for underwater flight.

[0030] The propeller is not easily damaged by water immersion. It consists of a rotating hub, a limiting structure at the front of the hub, and multiple blades arranged around the hub's axis, each blade hinged to the hub. The hub controls the rotation of the blades. During rotation, the free ends of the blades, under centrifugal force, move away from the hub's axis of rotation, allowing the blades to fully unfold until their surfaces contact the limiting structure at the front of the hub. The centrifugal force and the resistance of the limiting structure lock the blades' unfolding range, ensuring a continuous and stable airflow as the unfolded blades rotate, propelling the water-to-air transmedium aircraft.

[0031] When the trans-medium watercraft lands with its nose facing upwards, the propeller stops rotating, and the blades droop under their own weight, automatically retracting towards the rotor hub to reduce space occupation. Furthermore, the retracted blades are less susceptible to damage from impacts. When the trans-medium watercraft is flying underwater, the blades experience drag towards the rear of the vehicle, causing them to retract towards the rotor hub, reducing drag and increasing the maximum underwater speed. During underwater flight, the retracted blades are also less susceptible to water flow impacts, extending their lifespan and reducing turbulence, allowing for stable underwater flight. Therefore, the aerial propulsion mechanism in this design is less prone to damage underwater and can adapt to both underwater and aerial flight modes.

[0032] (ii) The airframe is also equipped with a water entry / exit attitude adjustment mechanism for controlling the switching between a state suitable for aerial flight and a state suitable for underwater flight. The water entry / exit attitude adjustment mechanism includes a watertight compartment located in the nose, a flexible water storage bladder located in the watertight compartment, and a bidirectional water pump connected to the water storage bladder. By using the bidirectional water pump to fill the water storage bladder with water and to pump water out of the water storage bladder, the mass distribution of the water-air-transitional aircraft can be changed, thereby altering the overall density and the position of the center of mass of the water-air-transitional aircraft, and controlling the water entry / exit actions of the water-air-transitional aircraft.

[0033] For example, when the aircraft is floating on the water, water can be added to its sump to increase the mass of its nose, causing it to tilt and plunge into the water. Simultaneously, this increases the overall density of the aircraft, allowing it to be fully submerged and switch to underwater flight mode. When the aircraft is flying underwater, gradually draining the water from its sump reduces its overall density, causing it to gradually rise to the surface. When the sump is empty, the aircraft's center of mass is located behind its center of gravity, allowing it to automatically adjust to a nose-up attitude, facilitating entry into the air and ensuring suitable flight conditions.

[0034] (III) The fuselage is connected to four or six fixed wings. Four fixed wings can form two wings and two vertical tails, while six fixed wings can form two wings and two V-shaped vertical tails. Each fixed wing is also rotatably connected to a slipstream rudder at its trailing edge. When the water-air transmedia aircraft is flying in the air or underwater, the airflow or water flow continuously passes over the fixed wings and slipstream rudders. By controlling the deflection of different slipstream rudders, the airflow or water flow passing over the slipstream rudders can be used to generate a torque that propels the water-air transmedia aircraft to deflect. This allows for convenient control of pitch, roll, and yaw maneuvers of the water-air transmedia aircraft. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1A schematic diagram of the structure of the water-air transmedium aircraft in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0036] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the machine body in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0037] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the fixed wing, propeller and slipstream rudder in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0038] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the propeller blade movement in an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0039] Marked in the attached diagram:

[0040] 1-Airframe; 1a-Nose; 1b-Fuselage; 11-Guide notch; 111-Water permeable hole; 12-Empty compartment; 13-Support structure; 14-Electronic speed governor; 15-Power battery; 2-Fixed wing; 21-Propeller; 211-Propeller hub; 212-Propeller blade; 213-Limiting structure; 214-Rotating motor; 22-Slipstream rudder; 221-Servo; 222-Articulated rod; 3-Underwater thruster; 4-Water ingress / exit attitude adjustment mechanism; 41-Watertight compartment; 42-Water storage bladder; 43-Two-way water pump; 44-Pipeline. Detailed Implementation

[0041] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the following detailed description of the water-air cross-medium aircraft and system proposed by this invention, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, will provide a more detailed explanation. The advantages and features of this invention will become clearer from the following description. It should be noted that the accompanying drawings are in a very simplified form and use non-precise proportions, used only to facilitate and clearly illustrate the purpose of the embodiments of this invention. Please refer to the accompanying drawings to make the objectives, features, and advantages of this invention more apparent and understandable. It should be understood that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., depicted in the accompanying drawings are only for the purpose of assisting those skilled in the art in understanding and reading the content disclosed in the specification, and are not intended to limit the implementation conditions of this invention. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in the proportional relationships, or adjustments to the size, without affecting the effects and objectives achieved by this invention, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in this invention.

[0042] The following will be combined with the appendix Figures 1 to 4 The technical solution of the present invention, a water-air transmedium aircraft and system, is described in detail with specific embodiments.

[0043] Example

[0044] like Figures 1 to 4As shown, this embodiment of a water-air transmedium aircraft includes a teardrop-shaped body 1 with a nose 1a and a fuselage 1b, and the body 1 has a centrally symmetrical structure, with the nose 1a located at the front of the fuselage 1b. The body 1 is equipped with an underwater propulsion mechanism for providing underwater flight power, an aerial propulsion mechanism for providing aerial flight power, and a water entry / exit attitude adjustment mechanism 4. The aerial propulsion mechanism is used to drive the water-air transmedium aircraft to fly in the air, the underwater propulsion mechanism is used to drive the water-air transmedium aircraft to fly underwater, and the water entry / exit attitude adjustment mechanism 4 is used to drive the water-air transmedium aircraft to perform water entry / exit maneuvers. In this embodiment, the water inlet / outlet attitude adjustment mechanism 4 includes a watertight chamber 41 located inside the head 1a, a flexible water storage bladder 42 placed inside the watertight chamber 41, and a bidirectional water pump 43 connected to the water storage bladder 42. One flow port of the bidirectional water pump 43 is connected to the water storage bladder 42, and the other flow port is connected to a pipe 44, which extends to the rear end of the fuselage 1b. When the rear end of the fuselage 1b is immersed in water, the bidirectional water pump 43 can easily draw water into the water storage bladder 42. The watertight chamber 41 is closed, and the watertight chamber 41 and the water storage bladder 42 are sealed. When water is injected into the water storage bladder 42, a positive pressure is generated inside the water storage bladder 42, compressing the air volume between the watertight chamber 41 and the water storage bladder 42. When water is extracted from the water storage bladder 42, a negative pressure is generated inside the water storage bladder 42, causing the air volume between the water storage bladder 42 and the watertight chamber 41 to expand. It should be noted that all the front-to-back positional relationships described in this plan refer to the front-to-back positional relationships along the long axis of the body 1.

[0045] In this embodiment, the installation position of the bidirectional water pump 43 is not limited, as long as it can ensure that water can be pumped out of the water storage bladder 42 and that water can be pumped into the water storage bladder 42 when the tail end of the aircraft is immersed in water. By using the bidirectional water pump 43 to adjust the amount of water stored in the water storage bladder 42, the overall density of the aircraft and the position of the aircraft's center of mass along the long axis of the fuselage 1 can be adjusted. The range of variation of the overall density of the aircraft includes the density of water. When the water in the water storage bladder 42 is emptied, the overall density of the aircraft is at its minimum value, which is less than the density of water; when the water storage bladder 42 is full of water, the overall density of the aircraft reaches its maximum value, which is greater than the density of water.

[0046] When the water-air transmedium aircraft is in flight, the water bladder 42 is empty, and the overall mass of the aircraft is relatively small, making it suitable for aerial flight. When it is necessary to switch the aircraft from aerial flight to underwater flight, the water-air transmedium aircraft is first landed on the water surface. At this time, the overall density of the aircraft is less than that of water, so it can float stably on the water surface. Moreover, at this time, the center of mass of the aircraft is located behind the center of gravity, so that the aircraft maintains an upward attitude with its nose 1a while floating on the water surface. This facilitates both upward take-off and ascent, and also facilitates the bidirectional water pump 43 to draw water from the rear of the fuselage 1b and inject it into the water bladder 42.

[0047] The fuselage 1 in this design is equipped with both an aerial propulsion mechanism and an underwater propulsion mechanism, enabling it to fly both in the air and underwater. The water entry / exit attitude adjustment mechanism 4, by filling the water bladder 42 with water and extracting water from the bladder 42, can change the mass distribution of the water-air transmedia aircraft, altering its overall density and center of mass, thereby controlling its water entry / exit maneuvers.

[0048] For example, when the aircraft is floating on the water, water is added to the water bladder 42 to increase the mass of the nose 1a, causing the aircraft to tip over and the nose 1a to plunge into the water. Water is then added to the water bladder 42 until the overall density of the aircraft is greater than the density of water, causing the aircraft to sink and switch to underwater flight mode. When the aircraft is flying underwater, the water in the water bladder 42 is gradually extracted, reducing the overall density of the aircraft. When the overall density of the aircraft is less than the density of water, the aircraft will automatically float to the surface. Furthermore, after the water in the water bladder 42 is emptied, the aircraft's center of mass is located behind its center of gravity, allowing the floating aircraft to automatically adjust to a nose-up attitude, facilitating upward flight. Additionally, the lower overall density of the aircraft after the water in the water bladder 42 is also suitable for aerial flight.

[0049] In addition, an empty cargo compartment 12 is provided at the rear end of the fuselage 1b in this embodiment. A water-permeable hole 111 communicating with the empty cargo compartment 12 is also provided at the rear end of the fuselage 1b. When the rear end of the fuselage 1b is immersed in water, water can enter the empty cargo compartment 12 through the water-permeable hole 111, thereby allowing the rear end of the fuselage 1b to be submerged and improving the stability of the aircraft in maintaining an upward-facing nose 1a. The empty cargo compartment 12 can automatically fill with water or empty it, adjusting the overall density of the water-to-air transmedia aircraft in the air. When water is stored in the empty cargo compartment 12, the overall density of the aircraft increases, making it suitable for underwater flight. When the water-to-air transmedia aircraft flies into the air, by adjusting the flight attitude of the fuselage 1b, all the water in the empty cargo compartment 12 can be drained through the water-permeable hole 111, reducing the overall density of the aircraft, making it suitable for aerial flight. When the empty cargo compartment 12 is filled with water and the water in the water storage bladder 42 is emptied, the overall density of the water-air cross-medium aircraft is less than the density of water, thus ensuring that the water-air cross-medium aircraft can successfully float to the water surface.

[0050] Specifically, the fuselage 1 in this design has a teardrop shape, which can reduce the drag of the aircraft when flying in water and improve its speed and maneuverability. In addition, the fuselage 1 is also a centrally symmetrical structure, which makes it less likely to generate turbulent airflow when flying in the air and less likely to generate turbulent water flow when flying underwater, thereby improving the stability of the aircraft in the air or underwater.

[0051] In addition, four fixed wings 2 are installed on the side of the fuselage 1b. The four fixed wings 2 are evenly arranged around the axis of the fuselage 1. Two of the fixed wings 2 are symmetrically installed on both sides of the fuselage 1b, forming the wings of the fuselage 1. The other two fixed wings 2 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the plane where the wings are located, forming the two vertical tails of the fuselage 1.

[0052] In this embodiment, each fixed wing 2 is a delta wing. Delta wing configurations generally possess three main advantages: low drag during supersonic flight, high structural strength, and minimal rearward shift of the wing's center of gravity during transonic flight. A controlled-rotation slipstream rudder 22 is also installed on the trailing edge of the fixed wing 2. The rotation axis of the slipstream rudder 22 is parallel to the wing surface of the fixed wing 2 and perpendicular to the long axis of the fuselage 1. When the water-air transmedium aircraft is flying in the air or underwater, controlling the slipstream rudder 22 to deflect at a certain angle generates a torque that propels the water-air transmedium aircraft to deflect, causing it to perform pitch, roll, and yaw maneuvers. In this embodiment, the rotation angle range of the slipstream rudder 22 relative to the wing surface of the fixed wing 2 is ±30°.

[0053] In another embodiment, six fixed wings 2 can be installed on the side of the fuselage 1b, two of which are symmetrically installed on both sides of the fuselage 1b to form the wings of the fuselage 1; the remaining four fixed wings 2 are arranged in pairs on both sides of the plane where the wings are located, with the two fixed wings 2 in the same pair located on the same side of the plane where the wings are located, and the two fixed wings 2 in the same pair forming a V-shaped vertical tail, with the two V-shaped vertical tails corresponding to the two pairs of fixed wings 2 located on both sides of the plane where the wings are located.

[0054] The aerial propulsion mechanism in this embodiment includes propellers 21 mounted on fixed wings 2. Each fixed wing 2 has a propeller 21 mounted at the end furthest from the fuselage 1b. The rotation axis of the propeller 21 is parallel to the long axis of the fuselage 1b. When the propeller 21 rotates, it generates power to propel the water-to-air transmedium aircraft. The underwater propulsion mechanism in this embodiment uses an underwater thruster 3. The underwater thruster 3 is mounted at the rear end of the fuselage 1b and coaxially with it. When the underwater thruster 3 ejects water backward, it propels the water-to-air transmedium aircraft underwater. Please refer to... Figures 2 to 4 The aerial propulsion mechanism and underwater propulsion mechanism in this embodiment are described in detail below:

[0055] The propeller 21 of the air power mechanism includes a controlled rotating hub 211, blades 212 hinged to the hub 211, and a rotary motor 214 that drives the hub 211 to rotate. Each hub 211 is connected to two blades 212, which are evenly arranged around the axis of the hub 211. One end of each blade 212 is hinged to the hub 211, and the other end is a free end. The hinge axis between the blade 212 and the hub 211 is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the hub 211. A limiting structure 213 is also fixedly connected to the front end of the hub 211. The limiting structure 213 is used to limit the rotation angle of the blades 212 when they rotate toward the front of the fuselage 1b. When the aircraft needs to fly using propeller 21, the rotor hub 211 is driven to rotate, which in turn drives the blades 212 to rotate. During the rotation of blades 212, blades 212 also rotate around the hinge axis between themselves and rotor hub 211. The free end of blade 212 moves away from the rotation axis of rotor hub 211 under the action of centrifugal force, allowing the blades 212 of propeller 21 to fully unfold until the blade surface of blade 212 abuts against the limiting structure 213 at the front end of rotor hub 211. The centrifugal force on blade 212 and the resistance of limiting structure 213 lock the unfolding range of blade 212. The unfolded blades 212 can generate a continuous and stable airflow during rotation, propelling the water-air transmedium aircraft into flight.

[0056] When the trans-medium watercraft lands with its nose 1a pointing upwards, the propeller 21 stops rotating, and the blades 212 droop due to their own weight, automatically retracting towards the rotation axis of the hub 211 to reduce space occupation. Furthermore, the retracted blades 212 are less prone to damage from impacts. When the trans-medium watercraft is flying underwater, the blades 212 experience drag towards the rear of the vehicle, causing them to retract towards the rotation axis of the hub 211, reducing drag and increasing the maximum underwater speed. During underwater flight, the retracted blades 212 are also less susceptible to water flow impacts, extending their lifespan and reducing turbulence, allowing for stable underwater flight. This ensures the power mechanism in the port can adapt to both underwater and aerial flight modes.

[0057] In this water-to-air transmedium aircraft, for the slipstream rudder 22 and propeller 21 connected to the same fixed wing 2, the slipstream rudder 22 is located within the slipstream zone of the propeller 21, enabling the slipstream rudder 22 to efficiently adjust the attitude of the water-to-air transmedium aircraft in the air. The fixed wing 2 also houses a servo motor 221 for driving the slipstream rudder 22 to deflect. In this embodiment, a three-section articulated rod 222 connects the servo motor 221 and the slipstream rudder 22, with adjacent sections of the articulated rod 222 hinged together. The first section of the articulated rod 222 is connected to the servo motor 221, which drives the first section of the articulated rod 222 to rotate. The last section of the articulated rod 222 is fixedly connected to the control surface of the slipstream rudder 22. When the servo motor 221 drives the first section of the articulated rod 222 to rotate, the slipstream rudder 22 can be deflected through the articulated rod 222. It should be understood that, in another embodiment, the servo motor 221 can directly drive the slipstream rudder 22 to deflect via a gear set or sprocket set.

[0058] In this design, the water-air cross-medium aircraft can fly with its nose 1a pointing vertically upwards or nearly vertically upwards. When the aircraft needs to deflect horizontally, the rotational speed of each propeller 21 can be adjusted to tilt the fuselage 1b, causing the total lift generated by all propellers 21 to tilt, thereby propelling the aircraft horizontally. Furthermore, the aircraft can switch to level flight mode, keeping the long axis of fuselage 1b horizontal or nearly horizontal. By coordinating the propellers 21 and the slipstream rudder 22, the aircraft can move rapidly horizontally in a level flight attitude.

[0059] Specifically, the underwater thruster 3 of the underwater propulsion mechanism is installed at the rear end of the fuselage 1b. The inlet of the underwater thruster 3 faces the fuselage 1b and is spaced apart from the rear end of the fuselage 1b, while the outlet of the underwater thruster 3 faces away from the fuselage 1b. The rear end of the fuselage 1b and the underwater thruster 3 are connected by four rod structures. The four rod structures are evenly arranged around the axis of the fuselage 1b and extend along the long axis of the fuselage 1b. The rod structures are fixedly connected to the fuselage 1b and the underwater thruster 3 or are detachably connected. In this embodiment, the underwater thruster 3 is a ducted propeller thruster, but it can also be replaced by a propeller-type vector thruster or a pump-jet thruster.

[0060] When the water-to-air transmedium aircraft flies underwater, the underwater thruster 3 needs to continuously draw in water and then expel it. However, the underwater thruster 3 is installed at the rear end of the fuselage 1b, which causes the fuselage 1b to block the water inlet of the underwater thruster 3, hindering its water intake. Therefore, to ensure the efficient operation of the underwater thruster 3, multiple flow guide notches 11 are provided on the rear edge of the water-to-air transmedium aircraft. These notches 11 are evenly arranged around the circumference of the fuselage 1b. The walls of the flow guide notches 11 are smooth concave arc surfaces, and the notches 11 smoothly connect with the surface of the fuselage 1b, reducing obstruction of the underwater thruster 3 and enabling it to operate efficiently. In addition, the water permeable holes 111 in this embodiment are formed on the walls of the flow guide notches 11.

[0061] In addition, since the underwater thruster 3 is connected to the rear end of the fuselage 1b, when the trans-medium watercraft lands with the nose 1a facing upwards, in order to avoid collision damage to the underwater thruster 3, each fixed wing 2 of the trans-medium watercraft is also connected to a long strip-shaped support structure 13. The rear end of the support structure 13 extends rearward along the long axis of the fuselage 1 to the rear side of the underwater thruster 3. When the trans-medium watercraft lands with the nose 1a facing upwards, it can contact the landing area through the rear end of the support structure 13 to avoid hitting the underwater thruster 3.

[0062] Specifically, the fuselage 1b is also equipped with a power battery 15 that supplies power to the underwater propeller 3 and each rotating motor 214. The power supply lines between the power battery 15 and the underwater propeller 3 and rotating motor 214 are also equipped with an electronic speed controller 14, which controls the speed of each propeller 21 and the propulsion power of the underwater propeller 3 respectively.

[0063] Furthermore, the water-air cross-medium aircraft has built-in flight control equipment, which includes sensors and an onboard computer. The sensors include, but are not limited to, attitude sensors and positioning modules. The onboard computer controls the operation of the propeller 21, slipstream rudder 22 and bidirectional water pump 43 based on the information data measured by the sensors.

[0064] A cross-medium flight system includes a ground control station and the aforementioned water-air cross-medium aircraft. The ground control station includes a control terminal with built-in display and control software. The control terminal is connected to the airborne computer of the water-air cross-medium aircraft via uplink and downlink.

[0065] This embodiment also discloses a cross-medium attitude adjustment method, applicable to the above-mentioned water-air cross-medium aircraft, when the water-air cross-medium aircraft needs to dive from the water surface:

[0066] S1 - Start the bidirectional water pump 43 to fill the water storage bladder 42 with water, so that the head 1a of the machine body 1 is submerged in the water;

[0067] S2 - Continue filling water into the water storage bladder 42 until the entire water-air trans-medium aircraft is submerged in water;

[0068] S3 controls the bidirectional water pump 43 to keep running to prevent water from flowing out of the water storage tank 42.

[0069] When a trans-medium water-to-air vehicle needs to fly out from underwater:

[0070] A1 - Start the bidirectional water pump 43 to extract the water from the water storage bladder 42, causing the body 1 to float and the head 1a of the body 1 to point upwards;

[0071] After the A2-standby body 1 floats to the water surface, it starts propeller 21 to drive the water-air transmedia aircraft upward;

[0072] A3 - After the water-air trans-medium aircraft has fully entered the air, shut off the bidirectional water pump 43.

[0073] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0074] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A water-air transmedium aircraft, characterized in that, It includes a teardrop-shaped, centrally symmetrical body with a head and a fuselage. The head is located at the front of the fuselage, and the rear end of the fuselage is provided with an empty compartment. A water-permeable hole communicating with the empty compartment is opened at the rear end of the fuselage. The aircraft is provided with an underwater propulsion mechanism for providing underwater flight power and an air propulsion mechanism for providing air flight power. The underwater propulsion mechanism includes an underwater thruster connected to the rear end of the fuselage. The air propulsion mechanism includes a propeller connected to the fuselage. The propeller includes a controlled rotating hub, a limiting structure set at the front end of the hub, and a plurality of blades evenly arranged around the axis of the hub. Each blade is hinged to the hub, and the hinge axis between the blade and the hub is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the hub. When the rotor hub rotates, the blades hinged to the hub rotate and unfold under centrifugal force until they abut against the limiting structure; when the rotor hub stops rotating, the blades hinged to the hub retract towards the rotation axis of the hub due to their own weight or the fluid resistance during underwater flight. The fuselage has four or six fixed wings connected to its sides. The air propulsion system includes multiple propellers, each of which is connected to one of the fixed wings, and the axis of rotation of the propellers is parallel to the long axis of the fuselage. The body is also provided with a water inlet and outlet attitude adjustment mechanism. The water inlet and outlet attitude adjustment mechanism includes a watertight chamber inside the head, a flexible water storage bladder inside the watertight chamber, and a bidirectional water pump connected to the water storage bladder. One flow port of the bidirectional water pump is connected to the water storage bladder, and the other flow port is connected to the rear end of the body. The bidirectional water pump adjusts the overall density of the aircraft and the position of its center of mass along the long axis of the fuselage by changing the amount of water stored in the water bladder. When the water in the water bladder switches between an empty state and a full state, the numerical range of the overall density of the aircraft includes the density of water. When the water in the water bladder is empty and the water-air transmedium aircraft floats on the water surface, the center of mass of the aircraft is located behind the center of gravity. When the empty compartment is filled with water and the water in the water bladder is empty, the overall density of the water-air transmedium aircraft is less than the density of water.

2. The water-air transmedium aircraft as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The trailing edge of the fixed wing is provided with a controlled-rotation slipstream rudder, the rotation axis of which is parallel to the wing surface and perpendicular to the long axis of the fuselage. When the fuselage is connected to four fixed wings, two of the fixed wings are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the fuselage, and the other two fixed wings are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the plane where the wings are located, forming two mutually symmetrical vertical tails. When the fuselage is connected to six fixed wings, two of the fixed wings are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the fuselage, and the remaining four fixed wings are arranged in pairs on both sides of the plane where the wings are located. The two fixed wings in the same pair are located on the same side of the plane where the wings are located and form a V-shaped vertical tail.

3. A water-air transmedium aircraft as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The fixed wing is a delta wing.

4. A water-air transmedium aircraft as described in claim 2, characterized in that, With the fixed wing surface as the reference plane, when the slipstream rudder rotates relative to the fixed wing, the angle range of the slipstream rudder's rotation relative to the fixed wing surface is ±30°.

5. A water-air transmedium aircraft as described in claim 1, characterized in that, For a slipstream rudder and a propeller connected to the same fixed wing, the slipstream rudder is disposed within the slipstream zone of the propeller.

6. A water-air transmedium aircraft as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water-air transmedium aircraft also includes a rotary motor for driving each propeller and a power battery that supplies power to all the rotary motors. The power supply line between the power battery and the rotary motors is also equipped with an electronic speed controller to control the speed of each propeller.

7. A water-air transmedium aircraft as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The underwater thruster is also powered by a power battery, and the electronic speed controller is also connected to the power supply lines of the power battery and the underwater thruster.

8. A water-air transmedium aircraft as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The fixed wing of the water-air cross-medium aircraft is also connected to a support structure, the rear end of which is located behind the underwater thruster.

9. A water-air transmedium aircraft as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The inlet and outlet of the underwater thruster are located at the front and rear ends of the underwater thruster, respectively. Several flow guide notches are provided on the edge of the rear end of the fuselage, and the flow guide notches are evenly arranged around the circumference of the fuselage.

10. A water-air transmedium aircraft as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water-air cross-medium aircraft also includes flight control equipment for controlling flight attitude. The flight control equipment includes sensors and an onboard computer. The sensors include attitude sensors and a positioning module. The onboard computer controls the operation of the air power mechanism, the underwater power mechanism, and the water entry and exit attitude adjustment mechanism based on the information data measured by the sensors.

11. A water-air cross-medium aircraft system, characterized in that, It includes a ground control station and the water-air cross-medium aircraft as described in claim 10. The ground control station includes a terminal device with built-in control software. The terminal device is connected to the airborne computer of the water-air cross-medium aircraft via uplink and downlink.

Citation Information

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