Vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle and unmanned flight system comprising same

Abstract

A vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle (VTOL UAV) includes a fuselage, a pair of wings pivotably attached to the fuselage, a rear rotor pivotably attached to the fuselage and oriented vertically in use, a flight control unit housed in the fuselage wherein at least one pair of front rotors is mounted on the wings, the flight control unit includes a receiver configured to receive the control signal and a controller configured to process the control signal received by the receiver and operate the front rotor and the rear rotor, a front operating motor connected with the pair of wings to rotate the pair of wings relative to the fuselage, and a rear operating motor connected with the rear rotor to rotate the rear rotor relative to the fuselage. The VTOL UAV combines vertical take-off and landing with high-speed horizontal flight and hovering at an inclined angle relative to the horizon, thereby improving efficiency, simplifying control and prolonging operation time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and more particularly to vertical take-off and landing UAVs (VTOL UAVs) and unmanned aerial systems (UASs) including such UAVs. Background Art

[0002] VTOL UAVs are widely used in different fields such as cargo transportation, surveillance, mapping or the entertainment industry, as they are able to take off and land vertically, as well as hover in drone mode when the rotors are oriented vertically and perform gliding flight when the rotors are oriented horizontally.

[0003] Depending on the specific implementation, the VTOL UAV may carry different equipment, such as cameras, pyrotechnic lights, sensors, etc. When the VTOL UAV is operating in drone mode, it may be necessary to rotate the equipment relative to the ground or the UAV body to better suit the task being performed by the UAV, such as covering a specific survey area or directing light to a specific point.

[0004] Conventional UAVs use a pivot device to enable equipment, such as a camera gimbal, to be rotated to a desired position. The pivot device allows the equipment to move as desired, but the operation of the UAV becomes more complicated because the UAV and the pivot device need to be controlled separately. In addition, such a pivot device increases the weight of the UAV, thereby reducing their operating time.

[0005] US 20150136897 discloses a VTOL UAV, which can provide vertical take-off and landing and horizontal flight due to at least four rotors arranged in a fixed wing. The UAV can hover and take pictures or videos through a camera attached to the UAV body. However, the construction and operation of the UAV are complicated because the rotation of the camera is a separate operation task performed by a rotating mechanism installed on the UAV body.

[0006] A UAS consisting of a VTOL UAV produced by Wingtra is known (WingtraOne VTOL). The VTOL UAV is capable of vertical take-off and landing, hovering as a drone and performing horizontal flight, with data collection via a camera mounted on the UAV fuselage. This UAV has two rotors mounted on the wings and a pivotable rear part, which allows switching between vertical take-off and landing mode and horizontal flight mode. These UAVs are easy to operate as long as the camera is fixed relative to the fuselage of the UAV, but they are not maneuverable enough, so in hovering mode the camera may not be able to be tilted to a certain angle relative to the ground or the fuselage.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a VTOL UAV with a simple structure, enhanced maneuverability and easy operation. Another object of the present invention is to extend the operation time of the VTOL UAV and increase its flight range. Another object of the present invention is to provide a UAS including such a VTOL UAV. Summary of the invention

[0008] The object of the present invention is achieved by the VTOL UAV and UAS disclosed in the present disclosure. According to a first embodiment, the VTOL UAV includes a fuselage, a pair of wings pivotably attached to the fuselage, and at least a pair of front rotors mounted on the wings, wherein each front rotor includes a motor and a propeller. The UAV also includes a rear rotor pivotably attached to the fuselage and oriented vertically when in use, the rear rotor including a motor and a propeller. When in operation, the UAV is controlled by a flight control unit housed in the fuselage, the flight control unit including a receiver configured to receive a control signal, and a controller configured to process the control signal received by the receiver to further operate the motors of the front rotor and the rear rotor. The UAV also includes: a front operating motor connected to a pair of wings for rotating the pair of wings relative to the fuselage; and a rear operating motor connected to the rear rotor for rotating the rear rotor relative to the fuselage. The controller is communicatively coupled to the front operating motor and the rear operating motor to operate the front operating motor and the rear operating motor based on the control signal received by the receiver. The VTOL UAV also includes a power supply housed in the fuselage, which is configured to supply power to a receiver and a controller of the flight control unit. The VTOL UAV of the above configuration is capable of hovering at an angle to the horizon, which means that when hovering at an angle, the front and rear of the VTOL UAV fuselage have different coordinates relative to the vertical axis Z. Therefore, the proposed UAV provides the functions of vertical take-off and landing and hovering at different Z coordinates along the fuselage, and the claimed invention may also be referred to as "VZ-TOL". Conventional UAVs cannot hover at an angle like the claimed UAV, so the VTOL UAV or VZ-TOL UAV according to the present application provides higher maneuverability and the possibility of using the device without the need for an additional pivot device. Therefore, the operation of the VTOL UAV is simplified, while its weight is reduced, and its energy consumption and flight distance are improved.

[0009] In a specific embodiment, the fuselage of the VTOL UAV includes a frame configured to accommodate a flight control unit, and the pair of wings are pivotably attached to the frame. The UAV also includes a crossbar that passes through the fuselage laterally and is rotatably mounted in the frame, wherein a wing of the pair of wings is fixedly connected to the crossbar, and the crossbar includes a gear. The front operating motor includes a shaft and a gear disposed on the shaft, wherein the gear of the front operating motor meshes (meshes) with the gear of the crossbar. The front rotor includes a housing for accommodating the motor, the housing of the front rotor is fixedly mounted at opposite ends of the crossbar, and the rear rotor includes a housing for accommodating the motor of the rear rotor. The UAV also includes an arm, wherein one end of the arm is pivotally connected to the housing of the rear rotor, and the other end of the arm is pivotally connected to the frame. The frame of the VTOL UAV includes side walls, and the crossbar is rotatably mounted on the frame of the fuselage via bearings mounted in the side walls.

[0010] The controller of the VTOL UAV flight control unit may control the front rotor and the rear rotor by feeding the front rotor and the rear rotor with power received from the power source.

[0011] The front operating motor and the rear operating motor may be servo motors.

[0012] The receiver of the VTOL UAV flight control unit may be a GPS antenna.

[0013] According to a second embodiment, the VTOL UAV comprises a fuselage, at least two pairs of wings pivotably attached to the fuselage, including at least one pair of front wings and at least one pair of rear wings, at least one pair of front rotors mounted on at least one pair of front wings, at least one pair of rear rotors mounted on at least one pair of rear wings, wherein each rotor comprises a motor and a propeller. When in operation, the UAV is controlled by a flight control unit housed in the fuselage, the flight control unit comprising a receiver configured to receive a control signal, and a controller configured to process the control signal received by the receiver and operate the motor of the rotor. The VTOL UAV also comprises an operating motor connected to a pair of wings so that the pair of wings rotate relative to the fuselage, wherein all wing pairs are connected to each other to rotate simultaneously. The controller is coupled in communication with the operating motor to operate it based on the control signal received by the receiver. The VTOL UAV also comprises a power supply housed in the fuselage, which is configured to supply power to the receiver and controller of the flight control unit. The VTOL UAV of the above configuration is capable of hovering at an angle, providing higher maneuverability, and the possibility of using the device without the need for an additional pivot device. At the same time, the structure of the VTOL UAV equipped with only one operating motor further simplifies the operation of the VTOL UAV and further reduces the weight, improves the energy consumption and flight distance.

[0014] In a specific embodiment, the fuselage of the VTOL UAV includes a frame configured to accommodate a flight control unit, and the wing pair is pivotably attached to the frame. The VTOL UAV also includes at least two crossbars that pass through the fuselage laterally and are rotatably mounted in the frame, the number of crossbars being equal to the number of wing pairs, the wings in each pair of wings being fixedly connected to the corresponding crossbars, and each crossbar includes a gear. In addition, the VTOL UAV includes a transmission unit movably arranged in the fuselage. The operating motor includes a shaft and a gear arranged on the shaft, and the transmission unit is arranged to movably connect the gears to each other. The frame includes side walls, and the crossbar is rotatably mounted on the frame of the fuselage through bearings installed in the side walls. Each of the front rotor and the rear rotor includes a housing for accommodating the motor of the corresponding rotor, and the housing is fixedly mounted on the opposite ends of the corresponding crossbar.

[0015] The controller of the VTOL UAV flight control unit may control the rotors by providing the rotors with power received from the power source.

[0016] The operating motor may be a servo motor.

[0017] The receiver of the VTOL UAV flight control unit may be a GPS antenna.

[0018] The present invention also relates to an unmanned aerial system (UAS), comprising a VTOL UAV according to the first embodiment and a remote control panel configured to send control signals to control the operation of the VTOL UAV.

[0019] In one particular embodiment, the remote control panel may include a housing that houses a transmitter, a controller configured to communicate with the transmitter to send operating signals to the VTOL UAV, and a user interface communicatively connected to the controller and including means for feeding commands to the controller.

[0020] The remote control panel may be a game controller, and the device for feeding commands to the controller includes control buttons, such as: a glider mode button, for sending a control signal to the forward operating motor to rotate the wing of the VTOL UAV to a position where the propellers of the rotors on the wing operate in a plane perpendicular to the horizon; a drone mode button, for sending a control signal to the forward operating motor to rotate the wing of the VTOL UAV to a position where the propellers of the rotors on the wing operate in a plane parallel to the horizon; a pitch increase button, which is configured to send a control signal to the forward operating motor and the rear operating motor to rotate the crossbar and the arm, respectively, and send a control signal to the front rotor or the rear rotor to increase the lift, respectively, thereby lifting the corresponding front or rear part of the fuselage; a pitch reduction button, which is configured to send a control signal to the forward operating motor and the rear operating motor to rotate the crossbar and the arm, respectively, and send a control signal to the front rotor or the rear rotor to reduce or balance the lift generated by the front rotor and the rear rotor, thereby restoring the fuselage to a state with a smaller pitch or a state before the pitch increase button is pressed.

[0021] Furthermore, the present invention also relates to an unmanned aerial system (UAS), comprising a VTOL UAV according to the second embodiment and a remote control panel configured to send a control signal to control the operation of the VTOL UAV.

[0022] In one particular embodiment, the remote control panel may include a housing that houses a transmitter, a controller configured to communicate with the transmitter to send operating signals to the VTOL UAV, and a user interface communicatively connected to the controller and including means for feeding commands to the controller.

[0023] The remote control panel may be a game controller, and the device for feeding commands to the controller includes control buttons, such as: a glider mode button, for sending a control signal to the operating motor to rotate all wing pairs of the VTOL UAV to a position where the propeller of each rotor of each wing runs in a plane perpendicular to the horizon; a drone mode button, for sending a control signal to the operating motor to rotate all wing pairs of the VTOL UAV to a position where the propeller of each rotor of each wing runs in a plane parallel to the horizon; a pitch increase button, which is configured to send a control signal to the operating motor to rotate the crossbar, and send a control signal to the front rotor or the rear rotor to increase lift respectively, thereby lifting the corresponding front or rear part of the fuselage; a pitch reduction button, which is configured to send a control signal to the operating motor to rotate the crossbar, and send a control signal to the front rotor or the rear rotor to reduce or balance the lift generated by the front rotor and the rear rotor, thereby restoring the fuselage to a state with a smaller pitch or a state before the pitch increase button is pressed.

[0024] The features, functions, and advantages of the present invention that have been discussed can be achieved independently in various embodiments of the present invention, or can be combined in yet other embodiments, further details of which can be seen with reference to the following description and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 The internal arrangement of a VTOL UAV according to a first embodiment is shown.

[0026] Figure 2 Shows the glider mode Figure 1 VTOL UAV.

[0027] Figure 3 Shows the drone in drone mode Figure 1 VTOL UAV.

[0028] Figure 4A and Figure 4B They are shown separately Figure 1 The VTOL UAV in drone mode hovers at angles of 45° and 60° to the horizon.

[0029] Figure 5 The internal arrangement of a VTOL UAV according to a second embodiment is shown.

[0030] Figure 6 Shows the glider mode Figure 5 VTOL UAV.

[0031] Figure 7 Shows the drone in drone mode Figure 5 VTOL UAV.

[0032] Fig. 8A and Figure 8B They are shown separately Figure 5 The VTOL UAV in drone mode hovers at angles of 45° and 60° to the horizon.

[0033] Fig. 9 A remote control panel for controlling the operation of a VTOL UAV according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Preferred embodiments and aspects of the present invention will be introduced and described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] According to the first embodiment, a vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle (VTOL UAV) 100 is Figure 1-4. The VTOL UAV 100 includes a fuselage 101, a pair of wings 102, 103 pivotably attached to the fuselage 101, and a rear rotor 104 pivotably attached to the fuselage and vertically oriented when in use. At least a pair of front rotors 105, 106 are mounted on the wings 102, 103. Each of the front rotors 105, 106 and the rear rotor 104 includes a motor and a propeller.

[0036] A flight control unit 107 is housed in the fuselage 101. The flight control unit 107 includes a receiver 108 configured to receive a control signal, and a controller 109 configured to process the control signal received by the receiver 108 and operate the motors of the rear rotor 104 and the front rotors 105, 106. In addition, the UAV 100 includes a front operating motor 110 arranged in the fuselage 101 and connected to a pair of wings 102, 103 to rotate the pair of wings relative to the fuselage 101, and a rear operating motor 111 connected to the rear rotor 104 to rotate the rear rotor 104 relative to the fuselage 101.

[0037] The controller 109 of the flight control unit 107 is communicatively coupled to the front operating motor 110 and the rear operating motor 111 to operate the front operating motor 110 and the rear operating motor 111 based on the control signal received by the receiver 108. The VTOL UAV 100 also includes a power supply 112, which is housed in the fuselage 101 and is configured to supply power to the receiver 108 and the controller 109 of the flight control unit 107.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment, the fuselage 101 includes a rigid structure such as a support frame 113, which is configured to house the flight control unit 107, and the pair of wings 102, 103 are pivotably attached to the frame 113, for example, by bearings 120 arranged in the frame 113. In addition, the VTOL UAV 100 may include a crossbar 114 that passes through the fuselage 101 laterally (i.e., along the axis Y) and is rotatably mounted in the frame 113, wherein the wings 102, 103 of the pair of wings are fixedly connected to the crossbar 114, and the crossbar 114 includes a gear 115. The front operating motor 110 includes a shaft 1101 and a gear 1102 arranged on the shaft, wherein the gear 1102 of the front operating motor 110 meshes (meshes) with the gear 115 of the crossbar 114. In addition, the front rotors 105, 106 include a housing that houses the motor, and the housings of the front rotors 105, 106 are fixedly mounted at opposite ends of the crossbar 114. Therefore, as long as the wings 102, 103 are fixedly connected to the crossbar 114, and the front rotors 105, 106 are fixedly mounted at the opposite ends of the crossbar 114, the rotation of the gear 1102 will result in a corresponding rotation of the gear 115, thereby respectively causing the rotation of the crossbar 114, the wings 102, 103, and the rotors 105, 106. Therefore, the VTOLUAV 100 achieves simple and simultaneous operation of the wings 102, 103 and the front rotors 105, 106.

[0039] In particular, the frame 113 of the fuselage 101 may include side walls 1131, 1132. A pair of bearings 120 are installed in the side walls 1131, 1132, and the crossbar 114 is rotatably installed on the frame 113 of the fuselage 101 through the bearings 120.

[0040] Further preferably, the rear rotor 104 includes a housing for accommodating a motor of the rear rotor 104, and the VTOL UAV 100 further includes an arm 116. One end of the arm 116 is pivotally connected to the housing of the rear rotor 104, and the other end is pivotally connected to the frame 113 of the fuselage 101. The rear transmission unit 117 is placed in the connection area of ​​the frame 113 and the arm 116. The rear transmission unit 117 includes a rear gear 118 and a pin 119 fixedly connected to the rear gear 118. The arm 116 is connected to the rear gear 118 through the pin 119 (for example, it can be cylindrical). The rear operating motor 111 also includes a shaft 1111 and a gear 1112 arranged on the shaft, wherein the gear 1112 is connected to the rear gear 118. Therefore, rotation of gear 1112 of rear operating motor 111 will cause corresponding rotation of rear gear 118 and thus rotation of pin 119 , thereby rotating arm 116 together with rear rotor 104 , which can be described as rotating fuselage 101 relative to rear rotor 104 .

[0041] In the first embodiment of the VTOL UAV, the controller 109 of the flight control unit 107 is configured to control the front rotors 105, 106 and the rear rotor 104 by feeding them power received from a power source 112. Preferably, the power source 112 is an electrical power source, such as a battery.

[0042] The front operating motor 110 and the rear operating motor 111 may be servo motors.

[0043] Receiver 108 is a GPS antenna.

[0044] Another object of the present invention is an unmanned aerial system (UAS) comprising a VTOL UAV 100 according to one or more embodiments described above and a remote control panel 300 configured to send control signals to control the operation of the VTOL UAV 100 .

[0045] The remote control panel 300 is designed as a conventional remote control panel, such as a game controller or a tablet computer, with some unique functions and provides simple operation. Fig. 9 An exemplary illustration of a remote control panel 300 is provided.

[0046] In a preferred embodiment, remote control panel 300 includes a housing 301 that accommodates a transmitter, a controller configured to communicate with the transmitter to send operating signals to VTOL UAV 100, and a user interface communicatively connected to the controller and including means for feeding commands to the controller.

[0047] Such means for feeding commands may include control buttons 302-305 for switching the VTOL UAV 100 between different modes such as, for example, a glider mode button 302, a drone mode button 303, a pitch increase button 304, and a pitch decrease button 305. The glider mode button 302 is configured to send a control signal to operate the motor 110 forward so as to rotate the wings 102, 104 of the VTOL UAV 100 to a position where the propellers of the rotors 105, 106 on the wings 102, 103 operate in a plane perpendicular to the horizon. The drone mode button 303 is configured to send a control signal to operate the motor 110 forward so as to rotate the wings 102, 104 of the VTOL UAV 100 to a position where the propellers of the rotors 105, 106 on the wings 102, 103 operate in a plane parallel to the horizon. The pitch increase button 304 is configured to send control signals to the forward operating motor 110 and the rear operating motor 111 to rotate the crossbar 114 and the arm 116, respectively, and to send control signals to the front rotors 105, 106 or the rear rotor 104 to increase lift, respectively, thereby lifting the corresponding front or rear portion of the fuselage 101 of the VTOL UAV 100. The pitch decrease button 305 is configured to send control signals to the forward operating motor 110 and the rear operating motor 111 to rotate the crossbar 114 and the arm 116, respectively, and to send control signals to the front rotors 105, 106 or the rear rotor 104 to reduce or balance the lift generated by the front rotors 105, 106 and the rear rotor 104, thereby returning the fuselage 101 to a less pitched state or a state before the pitch increase button 304 was pressed.

[0048] However, it should be noted that, although the user interface comprises means for feeding commands, it may also comprise general control means, such as a joystick for controlling direction / altitude, means for controlling rotor power, a power switch, etc. Furthermore, a display may be integrated in the remote control panel 300 .

[0049] Next, we will refer to Figure 2 (Glider Mode), Figure 3 (horizontally hovering drone mode) and Figure 4A , Figure 4B (Angled Hover Mode) describes the operation of the VTOL UAV 100.

[0050] Figure 2The VTOL UAV 100 is shown in a glider mode that enables horizontal flight. In this mode, the wings 102, 103 are oriented parallel to the horizon and provide a favorable impact on the efficiency of the aircraft because the front rotors 105, 106 generate forward thrust when activated. Therefore, the wings 102, 103 generate lift, allowing the VTOL UAV 100 to fly. Because the wings 102, 103 generate lift, less power is required to achieve horizontal flight compared to traditional UAVs without wings. In this mode, the rear rotor 104 does not receive power from the power source 112. Therefore, energy efficiency and extended operating time are achieved.

[0051] In addition, there are three different modes (drone mode, glider mode, and angled hovering mode) in one aircraft, and the ability to rotate the wings 102, 103 allows new techniques for operating the VTOL UAV 100. In particular, when it is necessary to increase the altitude of the VTOL UAV 100 flying in glider mode or hovering in drone mode, a small temporary pitch should be increased by rotating the wings 102, 103 by a few degrees. For example, when in glider mode or drone mode, the fuselage 101 of the VTOL UAV 100 is parallel to the horizon (balanced at 0° relative to the horizontal plane defined by the longitudinal axis X and the transverse axis Y), and in order to increase the altitude, the operator needs to pitch the fuselage 101 by rotating the wings 102, 103, for example, the rotation angle can be 1.8° or more depending on the speed of the required height increase. Alternatively, when it is necessary to reduce the altitude, the pitch of the fuselage 101 should be reduced by rotating the wings 102, 103 by a few degrees. Rotation of the wings is achieved by pressing a pitch increase button 304 or a pitch decrease button 305 of the user interface of the remote control panel 300 , which sends a signal to the forward operating motor 110 to rotate the crossbar 114 .

[0052] In addition, the configuration of the aircraft provides another option for reducing altitude. When the VTOL UAV 100 is in glider mode, the rear rotor 104 is turned on, causing the fuselage 101 of the VTOL UAV 100 to pitch until the rear of the fuselage 101 is raised. As a result, the wings 102, 103 are tilted downward and the VTOL UAV 100 begins to descend. When the desired descent is achieved, the rear rotor 104 is turned off and the VTOL UAV 100 returns to a balanced position in glider mode.

[0053] The navigation of the VTOL UAV 100 is achieved by changing the thrust of the right front rotor 105 and the left front rotor 106. If a left turn is required, the thrust of the right rotor should be increased, and vice versa.

[0054] Figure 3The VTOL UAV 100 is shown in drone mode, which allows vertical take-off and landing and hovering. In this mode, the wings 102, 103 are oriented perpendicular to the horizon, which is provided by rotating the crossbar 114 that fixes the wings 102, 03 and the front rotors 105, 106 by 90°. This rotation of the wings 102, 103 and the front rotors 105, 106 can be easily achieved by pressing the drone mode button 303 on the remote control panel. In this mode, all rotors 104, 105, 106 of the VTOL UAV 100 are turned on and produce a specific value of thrust, thereby providing vertical take-off and landing or hovering. The VTOL UAV 100 in drone mode can be controlled like any other traditional drone.

[0055] Figure 4A and Figure 4B The VTOL UAV 100 is shown in an angled hovering mode. In the context of the present invention, an "angled hovering mode" refers to a hovering mode in which the fuselage 101 of the VTOL UAV 100 is tilted toward the horizon, where the "horizon" is a plane defined by a longitudinal axis X and a lateral axis Y. For example, Figure 4A It means that the VTOL UAV 100 is hovering at an angle of 45° to the horizon. Figure 4B The VTOL UAV 100 is shown hovering at an angle of 60° to the horizon. As is apparent from the figures, when hovering in the angled mode, the front and rear of the VTOL UAV 100 have different coordinates along the vertical axis Z ("VZ-TOL").

[0056] The pitch increase button can be used to switch from drone mode to angled hover mode. When the VTOL UAV 100 is in drone mode, the propellers of the front rotors 105, 106 and the rear rotor 104 operate in a plane parallel to the horizon, the wings 102, 103 are perpendicular to the horizon, and the fuselage 101 of the VTOL UAV 100 is parallel to the horizon. In order to switch the VTOL UAV 100 to angled hover mode, the fuselage 101 of the VTOL UAV 100 should pitch, while the wings 102, 103 should remain perpendicular to the horizon, and the propellers of the front rotors 105, 106 and the rear rotor 104 should continue to operate in a plane parallel to the horizon. This is achieved by causing the crossbar 114 to rotate in coordination with the wings 102, 103 and the front rotors 105, 106 and the arm 116 with the rear rotor 104 in response to the receiver 108 of the VTOL UAV 100 receiving a signal from the transmitter of the remote control panel 300.

[0057] The pitch increase and pitch decrease depend on the time of pressing the corresponding pitch increase button 304 or pitch decrease button 305. The change in pitch and angle of the fuselage 101 of the VTOL UAV 100 depends on the configuration of the gear 115 that rotates the crossbar 114 and the rear gear 118 that rotates the arm 116. The more times / longer the operator presses the corresponding button, the greater the angle change.

[0058] In order to provide a stable angled hover, the VTOL UAV 100 should be properly balanced. This balance is provided by varying the thrust of the rotors in response to control signals from the controller 109. The VTOL UAV 100 may also include several sensors, such as accelerometers (g-meters), gyroscopes, etc., communicatively coupled to the controller 109, and the controller 109 is configured to process the data received from these sensors to generate control signals to correct the thrust of the rotors.

[0059] In addition, the construction of the VTOL UAV 100 provides for an instant change of mode. For example, once the glider mode button 302 is pressed in any other mode, it will rotate the wings 102, 103 together with the front rotors 105, 106, and if necessary, the arm 116 together with the rear rotor 104 to a position where the propellers of all rotors 104, 105, 106 are parallel to the horizon. The drone mode button 303 is configured to change the position of the wings 102, 103 and the arm 116 so that the VTOL UAV 100 is instantly switched to the drone mode from any other mode. To this end, the VTOL UAV may include different detectors for measuring the angles of various parts of the VTOL UAV 100 (for example, detecting the position of the gear 115 or 118, or the angle of the wings 102, 103 or the arm 116 relative to the fuselage 101, etc.). The information received from these sensors is processed by the controller 109, which then sends a new signal to the corresponding operating motor 110 or 111 to rotate the crossbar 114 or arm 116 to a specified angle, thereby immediately achieving the desired mode.

[0060] According to the second embodiment, a VTOL UAV (VTOL UAV) 200 is Figure 5 -8. The VTOL UAV 200 includes a fuselage 201 and at least two pairs of wings: front wings 202, 203 and rear wings 202', 203', wherein the wings are pivotably attached to the fuselage 201. Each wing 202, 203, 202', 203' includes at least one rotor: a front rotor 205, 206 and a rear rotor 205', 206', respectively. Each of the front rotors 205, 206 and the rear rotors 205', 206' includes a motor and a propeller.

[0061] A flight control unit 207 is housed in the fuselage 201. The flight control unit 207 includes a receiver 208 configured to receive a control signal, and a controller 209 configured to process the control signal received by the receiver 208 and operate the motors of the rear rotors 205, 206, 205', 206'. In addition, an operating motor 210 is arranged in the fuselage 201, which is connected to the wing pairs 202, 203, 202', 203' to rotate these wings relative to the fuselage 201, wherein all the wing pairs are connected to each other to rotate simultaneously.

[0062] The controller 209 of the flight control unit 207 is communicatively coupled to the operating motor 210 to operate it based on the control signal received by the receiver 208. The VTOL UAV 200 also includes a power supply 212 housed in the fuselage 201, which is configured to supply power to the receiver 208 and the controller 209 of the flight control unit 207.

[0063] The fuselage 201 comprises a rigid structure such as a support frame 213, which is configured to house a flight control unit 207, and all wing pairs 202, 203, 202', 203' are pivotably attached to the frame 213, for example, by bearings 220, 220' provided in the frame 213. In addition, the VTOL UAV 200 may include a crossbar 214, 214' that passes through the fuselage 201 transversely (i.e., along the axis Y) and is rotatably mounted in the frame 213, wherein the wing 202, 203, 202', 203' in each pair of wings is fixedly connected to the corresponding crossbar 214, 214', and the crossbar 214, 214' comprises a gear 215, 215'. At the same time, the VTOL UAV 200 comprises a transmission unit 217 that is movably arranged in the fuselage 201. The operating motor 210 includes a shaft 2101 and a gear 2102 arranged on the shaft, and the gear 2102 of the operating motor 210 directly meshes with a gear 215 or 215' of the crossbar 214 or 214', and the transmission unit 217 is arranged to movably connect the gears 215 and 215' to each other. In addition, the rotors 205, 206 and 205', 206' include a housing for accommodating the motor, and the housings of the rotors 205, 206 and 205', 206' are fixedly mounted at opposite ends of the crossbars 214 and 214', respectively. Therefore, as long as the wings 202, 203 and 202', 203' are fixedly connected to the crossbars 214 and 214', respectively, and the rotors 205, 206 and 205', 206' are fixedly mounted at the opposite ends of the crossbars 214 and 214', respectively, the rotation of the gear 2102 will cause a corresponding rotation of one gear 215 or 215', thereby causing the movement of the transmission unit 217 and the rotation of the other gear 215' or 215. Then, the crossbars 214, 214', the wings 202, 203, 202', 203' and the rotors 205, 206, 205', 206' also rotate. Therefore, simple and simultaneous operation of the wings 202, 203, 202', 203' and the rotors 205, 206, 205', 206' is achieved in the VTOL UAV 200.

[0064] In particular, the frame 213 of the fuselage 201 may include side walls 2131, 2132. Bearing pairs 220, 220' are installed in the side walls 2131, 2132, and the crossbars 214, 214' are rotatably installed on the frame 213 of the fuselage 201 through the bearings 220, 220'.

[0065] In a second embodiment of the VTOL UAV, the controller 209 of the flight control unit 207 is configured to control the rotors 205, 206, 205', 206' by feeding them with power received from a power source 212. Preferably, the power source 212 is an electric power source, such as a battery. In a further preferred embodiment of the second embodiment of the VTOL UAV, the operating motor 210 is a servomotor. In a further preferred embodiment of the second embodiment of the VTOL UAV, the receiver 208 is a GPS antenna.

[0066] Another object of the present invention is an unmanned aerial system (UAS) comprising a VTOL UAV 200 according to one or more embodiments described above, and a remote control panel 300 configured to send control signals to control the operation of the VTOL UAV 200 .

[0067] The above-mentioned remote control panel 300 can be designed as Fig. 9 Remote control panel provided for the first embodiment. Therefore, the main elements and buttons of the control panel 300 are the same as discussed in the above disclosure.

[0068] In particular, the glider mode button 302 is configured to send a signal to the operating motor 210 to rotate the crossbar 214 or 214' to switch the VTOL UAV 200 from any mode to a glider mode, wherein the fuselage 201 and all wing pairs 202, 203, 202', 203' are parallel to the horizon and the propellers of the rotors 205, 206, 205', 206' operate in a plane perpendicular to the horizon. Figure 6 VTOL UAV 200 is shown in glider mode.

[0069] The drone mode button 303 is configured to send a signal to the operating motor 210 to rotate the crossbar 214, 214', thereby switching the VTOL UAV 200 from any mode to a drone mode in which the fuselage 201 is parallel to the horizon, wherein all wing pairs 202, 203, 202', 203' are perpendicular to the horizon and the fuselage 201, so that the propellers of the rotors 205, 206, 205', 206' operate in a plane parallel to the horizon. Figure 7 VTOL UAV 200 is shown in drone mode.

[0070] The pitch increase button 304 is configured to send a control signal to the operating motor 210 to rotate the crossbar 214, 214', and send a control signal to the front rotor 205, 206 or the rear rotor 205', 206' to increase lift respectively, thereby lifting the corresponding front or rear portion of the fuselage 201 of the VTOLUAV200.

[0071] The pitch reduction button 305 is configured to send a control signal to the operating motor 210 to rotate the crossbar 214, 214', and send a control signal to the front rotor 205, 206 or the rear rotor 205', 206' to reduce or balance the lift respectively, so that the corresponding front or rear part of the fuselage 201 returns to the pitch reduction state or the state before the pitch increase button 304 is pressed. Fig. 8A and Figure 8B The VTOL UAV 200 is shown in angled hover modes, wherein the angles are 45° and 60°.

[0072] It should be noted that the number of wing pairs in the second embodiment of the VTOL UAV 200 is not limited, the number of crossbars and gears (equal to the number of wing pairs) and the number of rotors are not limited. If there are more than two pairs of wings, as long as all wing pairs are connected through the transmission unit 217 to rotate simultaneously, the number of operating motors required for correct operation is still one.

[0073] In addition, there may be an embodiment combining the first embodiment and the second embodiment, for example, a VTOL UAV with five, seven or more rotors. Such an aircraft will include a transmission unit similar to transmission unit 217 (which connects and simultaneously rotates the crossbars of two, three or more pairs of wings) and a rear transmission unit similar to rear transmission unit 117 (which responds to a control signal and rotates the arm with the rear rotor).

[0074] Therefore, the above invention provides a vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle and a vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial system, which provide: 1) Vertical take-off and landing, making operations more efficient in limited spaces, 2) Horizontal flight, which provides the opportunity to achieve higher speeds than traditional drones, thus expanding the range of use, 3) Horizontal and angled hovering, allowing effective use of specific equipment without additional devices; 4) Simplified control of equipment installed on the aircraft; 5) Improved energy efficiency due to the lightweight of the aircraft; 6) Extend the running time. List of reference numerals: The following reference numerals are used in the drawings: 100—VTOL UAV (first embodiment); 200 – VTOL UAV (second embodiment); 300 – remote control panel; 101, 201 – fuselage; 102, 103 – wings; 202, 203 – front wing 202', 203' - rear wing; 104 – rear rotor; 105, 106, 205, 206 – front rotor; 205', 206' – rear rotor; 107, 207 – flight control unit; 108, 208 – receiver; 109, 209 – controller; 110 – front operating motor; 210 – operating motor; 111 – rear operating motor; 1101, 1111, 2101 – shaft for operating the motor; 1102, 1112, 2102 – gears for operating the motor; 112, 212 – power supply; 113, 213 – frame; 1131, 1132, 2131, 2132 – side walls; 114, 214, 214' – crossbar; 115, 215, 215' – gear; 116 – arm; 117 – rear transmission unit; 217 – Transmission unit 118 – rear gear; 119 – pin; 120, 220, 220' – ​​bearings; 301 – housing; 302 – glider mode button; 303 – drone mode button; 304 – pitch increase button; 305 – pitch decrease button; X – vertical axis; Y – horizontal axis; Z – Vertical axis.

Claims

1. A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), include: body, a pair of wings pivotably attached to the fuselage, at least one pair of front rotors mounted on the wing, each of the front rotors comprising a motor and a propeller, a rear rotor pivotably attached to the fuselage and oriented vertically when in use, the rear rotor including a motor and a propeller, A flight control unit housed in the fuselage, the flight control unit comprising a receiver configured to receive a control signal, a controller configured to process the control signal received by the receiver and operate the motors of the front rotor and the rear rotor, a front operating motor connected to the pair of wings to enable the pair of wings to rotate relative to the fuselage, a rear operating motor connected to the rear rotor to enable the rear rotor to rotate relative to the fuselage, wherein the controller being communicatively coupled to the front operating motor and the rear operating motor to operate the front operating motor and the rear operating motor based on the control signal received by the receiver, and The VTOL UAV also includes a power supply housed in the fuselage, the power supply being configured to power the receiver and the controller of the flight control unit.

2. The VTOL UAV according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The fuselage includes a frame configured to house the flight control unit, and the pair of wings are pivotably attached to the frame.

3. The VTOL UAV according to claim 2, It is characterized in that It includes a crossbar that passes transversely through the fuselage and is rotatably mounted in the frame, wherein a wing of the pair of wings is fixedly connected to the crossbar, and the crossbar includes a gear, The front operating motor comprises a shaft and a gear arranged on the shaft, wherein the gear of the front operating motor meshes with the gear of the crossbar, The front rotor comprises a housing for accommodating the motor, and the housing of the front rotor is fixedly mounted at opposite ends of the crossbar. The rear rotor includes a housing for accommodating a motor of the rear rotor, and The VTOL UAV also includes an arm, wherein one end of the arm is pivotally connected to the housing of the rear rotor and the other end of the arm is pivotally connected to the frame.

4. The VTOL UAV according to claim 3, It is characterized in that The frame comprises side walls, and the crossbar is rotatably mounted on the frame of the fuselage via bearings mounted in the side walls.

5. The VTOL UAV according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The controller is configured to control the front rotor and the rear rotor by feeding the front rotor and the rear rotor with power received from the power source.

6. The VTOL UAV according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The front operating motor and the rear operating motor are servo motors.

7. The VTOL UAV according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The receiver is a GPS antenna.

8. A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), include: body, at least two pairs of wings pivotably attached to the fuselage, the at least two pairs of wings comprising at least one pair of front wings and at least one pair of rear wings, at least one pair of front rotors mounted on the at least one pair of front wings, at least one pair of rear rotors mounted on the at least one pair of rear wings, Wherein, each of the front rotor and the rear rotor includes a motor and a propeller, A flight control unit housed in the fuselage, the flight control unit comprising: a receiver configured to receive a control signal, a controller configured to process the control signal received by the receiver and operate the motors of the front rotor and the rear rotor, operating a motor connected to a pair of wings to rotate the pair of wings relative to the fuselage, wherein all pairs of wings are connected to each other to rotate simultaneously, and wherein the controller being communicatively coupled to the operating motor to operate the operating motor based on the control signal received by the receiver, and The VTOL UAV also includes a power supply housed in the fuselage, the power supply being configured to power the receiver and the controller of the flight control unit.

9. The VTOL UAV according to claim 8, It is characterized in that The fuselage includes a frame configured to house the flight control unit, and the pair of wings are pivotably attached to the frame.

10. The VTOL UAV according to claim 9, It is characterized in that It comprises at least two crossbars which pass transversely through the fuselage and are rotatably mounted in the frame, the number of crossbars being equal to the number of wing pairs, the wings of each pair being fixedly connected to a corresponding crossbar, and each crossbar comprising a gear, A transmission unit is movably arranged in the fuselage, wherein The operating motor includes a shaft and a gear disposed on the shaft, and The transmission unit is arranged to movably connect the gears to each other.

11. The VTOL UAV according to claim 10, It is characterized in that The frame comprises side walls, and the crossbar is rotatably mounted on the frame of the fuselage via bearings mounted in the side walls.

12. The VTOL UAV according to claim 11, It is characterized in that Each of the front rotor and the rear rotor includes a housing that accommodates the motor of the corresponding rotor, and the housing is fixedly mounted on opposite ends of the corresponding crossbar.

13. The VTOL UAV according to claim 9, It is characterized in that The controller is configured to operate the front rotor and the rear rotor by feeding the front rotor and the rear rotor with power received from the power source.

14. The VTOL UAV according to claim 9, It is characterized in that The operating motor is a servo motor.

15. The VTOL UAV according to claim 9, It is characterized in that The receiver is a GPS antenna.

16. An unmanned aerial system (UAS), include: A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, and A remote control panel is configured to send control signals to control the operation of the VTOL UAV.

17. The UAS according to claim 16, It is characterized in that The remote control panel comprises: A housing which houses: Transmitter, a controller configured to communicate with the transmitter to send an operating signal to the VTOL UAV, A user interface is communicatively connected to the controller, the user interface comprising means for feeding commands to the controller.

18. The UAS according to claim 17, It is characterized in that The means for feeding commands to the controller comprises: a glider mode button for sending a control signal to the front operating motor to rotate the wing of the VTOL UAV to a position where the propeller of the rotor on the wing operates in a plane perpendicular to the horizon, a drone mode button for sending a control signal to the front operating motor to rotate the wing of the VTOL UAV to a position where the propeller of the rotor on the wing operates in a plane parallel to the horizon, a pitch increase button configured to send control signals to the front operating motor and the rear operating motor to rotate the crossbar and the arm, respectively, and to send control signals to the front rotor or the rear rotor to increase lift, respectively, thereby lifting the corresponding front or rear portion of the fuselage, and A pitch reduction button is configured to send control signals to the front operating motor and the rear operating motor to rotate the crossbar and the arm respectively, and send control signals to the front rotor or the rear rotor to reduce or balance the lift generated by the front rotor and the rear rotor, thereby restoring the fuselage to a smaller pitch state or a state before pressing the pitch increase button.

19. An unmanned aerial system (UAS), include: A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) according to any one of claims 8 to 15, and A remote control panel is configured to send control signals to control the operation of the VTOL UAV.

20. The UAS according to claim 19, It is characterized in that The remote control panel comprises: A housing which houses: Transmitter, a controller configured to communicate with the transmitter to send an operating signal to the VTOL UAV, A user interface is communicatively connected to the controller, the user interface comprising means for feeding commands to the controller.

21. The UAS according to claim 20, It is characterized in that The means for feeding commands to the controller comprises: a glider mode button for sending a control signal to the operating motors to cause all pairs of wings of the VTOL UAV to rotate to a position where the propellers of each rotor on each wing operate in a plane perpendicular to the horizon, a drone mode button for sending a control signal to the operating motors to rotate all pairs of wings of the VTOL UAV to a position where the propellers of each rotor on each wing operate in a plane parallel to the horizon, a pitch increase button configured to send a control signal to the operating motor to rotate the crossbar, and send a control signal to the front rotor or the rear rotor to increase lift, respectively, thereby lifting the corresponding front or rear portion of the fuselage, and A pitch reduction button is configured to send a control signal to the operating motor to rotate the crossbar, and send a control signal to the front rotor or the rear rotor to reduce or balance the lift generated by the front rotor and the rear rotor, thereby restoring the fuselage to a smaller pitch state or a state before pressing the pitch increase button.

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