vertical take-off and landing aircraft

Abstract

The present invention discloses a vertical take-off and landing aircraft, which relates to the technical field of vertical take-off and landing aircraft. The vertical take-off and landing aircraft includes: an aircraft body, at least two fixed rotor units and at least two tilt-rotor units, wherein the fixed rotor unit and the tilt-rotor unit are both arranged on the aircraft body, the tilt-rotor unit is configured to be rotatable between a cruise position and a vertical take-off and landing position, and the fixed rotor unit is shut down or enters a low-power consumption mode when the tilt-rotor unit is in the cruise position; and at least two battery modules, wherein the battery modules are arranged on the aircraft body, the battery capacity of all battery modules is consistent, each battery module is respectively connected to a portion of the fixed rotor units and a portion of the tilt-rotor units, the number of tilt-rotor units connected to all battery modules is consistent, and the number of tilt-rotor units connected to all battery modules is consistent. The present invention can ensure that the maintenance cycles of all battery modules are consistent.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of aircraft, and in particular to a vertical take-off and landing aircraft. Background Art

[0002] In eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-off and Landing), for eVTOL that combines a tilt-rotor unit and a fixed-rotor unit, both the fixed-rotor unit and the tilt-rotor unit need to be provided with the required electrical energy by a battery module.

[0003] In the prior art, eVTOLs are equipped with multiple battery modules with the same battery capacity. However, the fixed rotor unit and the tilt-rotor unit consume different amounts of power during eVTOL flight, resulting in inconsistent maintenance cycles for each battery module on the eVTOL, making it less economical. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main purpose of the present invention is to propose a vertical take-off and landing aircraft, aiming to solve the technical problems of inconsistent battery module maintenance cycles and low economic efficiency in related technologies.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention proposes a vertical take-off and landing aircraft, comprising:

[0006] Aircraft body;

[0007] at least two fixed rotor units and at least two tilt-rotor units, the fixed rotor units and the tilt-rotor units are both disposed on the aircraft body, the tilt-rotor units are configured to switch between a cruise position and a vertical take-off and landing position, and the fixed rotor units are shut down or enter a low-power consumption mode when the tilt-rotor units are in the cruise position; and

[0008] At least two battery modules are arranged on the main body of the aircraft. The battery capacity of all battery modules is consistent. Each battery module is respectively connected to a part of the fixed rotor units and a part of the tilt-rotor units. The number of fixed rotor units connected to all battery modules is consistent, and the number of tilt-rotor units connected to all battery modules is consistent.

[0009] One or more technical solutions proposed in the present invention have at least the following technical effects:

[0010] Since the fixed rotor unit shuts down or enters a low-power consumption mode when the vertical take-off and landing aircraft is in the cruising phase, that is, when the tilt-rotor unit is in the cruising position, and in the vertical take-off and landing phase and the tilt transition phase, the power between the tilt-rotor unit and the fixed rotor unit is not evenly distributed under normal circumstances, the power demand between the tilt-rotor unit and the fixed rotor unit is inconsistent. In the vertical take-off and landing aircraft of the present invention, under the premise that the battery capacity of all battery modules is consistent, each battery module is respectively connected to a part of the fixed rotor units and a part of the tilt-rotor units, the number of fixed rotor units connected to all battery modules is consistent, and the number of tilt-rotor units connected to all battery modules is consistent, so that all battery modules can achieve discharge balance, ensuring that the power of all battery modules can be synchronously reduced to the warning value for synchronous charging or replacement, that is, the maintenance cycle of all battery modules in the later stage is consistent, thereby improving the maintenance economy of the vertical take-off and landing aircraft. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0012] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of the vertical take-off and landing aircraft provided by the present invention;

[0013] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the connection between the motor controller and the battery module in the vertical take-off and landing aircraft provided by the present invention;

[0014] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the centrosymmetry of the propulsion assembly of the vertical take-off and landing aircraft provided by the present invention;

[0015] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the internal and external grouping of the propulsion components of the vertical take-off and landing aircraft provided by the present invention;

[0016] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the installation positions of the power distribution module and the battery module in the vertical take-off and landing aircraft provided by the present invention;

[0017] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the electrical connection relationship between the battery module and the propulsion assembly in the first example provided by the present invention;

[0018] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the electrical connection relationship between the battery module and the propulsion assembly in the second example provided by the present invention;

[0019] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the parallel connection of independent buses in the power distribution module of the vertical take-off and landing aircraft provided by the present invention;

[0020] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the series connection of independent buses in the power distribution module of the vertical take-off and landing aircraft provided by the present invention;

[0021] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the connection of multiple power distribution modules in the vertical take-off and landing aircraft provided by the present invention; wherein multiple independent buses are connected in parallel to each other through the second switch unit;

[0022] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the connection of multiple power distribution modules in the vertical take-off and landing aircraft provided by the present invention; wherein, multiple independent buses are connected in series with each other through the second switch unit.

[0023] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0024] 1. First power group; 2. Second power group; 10. First propulsion assembly group; 20. Second propulsion assembly group; 30. Third propulsion assembly group; 40. Fourth propulsion assembly group; 100. Power distribution module; 100a. Left power distribution module; 100b. Right power distribution module; 110. Input interface; 120. Output interface; 130. Independent bus; 130a. First independent bus; 130b. Second independent bus; 130c. Third independent bus; 130d. Fourth independent bus; 140. First switch unit; 150. Connection unit; 101. Fuselage; 101a. Central axis; 102. Tail; 103. Left wing; 1031. Left arm; 104. Right wing; 1041. Right arm; 200. Battery module; 20 1. First battery module; 202. Second battery module; 203. Third battery module; 204. Fourth battery module; 300. Propulsion assembly; 310. Fixed rotor unit; 320. Tilt rotor unit; 311. First fixed rotor unit; 312. Second fixed rotor unit; 313. Third fixed rotor unit; 314. Fourth fixed rotor unit; 321. First tilt rotor unit; 322. Second tilt rotor unit; 323. Third tilt rotor unit; 324. Fourth tilt rotor unit; 400. Jumper cable; 401. Second connecting cable; 402. First connecting cable; 611. First motor controller; 612. Second motor controller; 621. Third motor controller; 622. Fourth motor controller.

[0025] The purpose, features and advantages of the present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and in conjunction with the embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indications are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the various components under a certain specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0028] In addition, if there are descriptions involving "first", "second", etc. in the embodiments of the present invention, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or suggesting their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features limited to "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In addition, if "and / or" or "and / or" appears in the full text, its meaning includes three parallel solutions. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes solution A, solution B, or solutions that satisfy both A and B. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the ability of ordinary technicians in this field to implement. When the combination of technical solutions is mutually contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0029] This embodiment provides a vertical take-off and landing aircraft, including an aircraft body, at least two fixed rotor units 310 , at least two tilt rotor units 320 , and at least two battery modules 200 .

[0030] Among them, the fixed rotor unit 310 and the tilt-rotor unit 320 are both arranged in the main body of the aircraft, the tilt-rotor unit 320 is constructed to rotate between the cruise position and the vertical take-off and landing position, and the fixed rotor unit 310 is shut down or enters a low power consumption mode when the tilt-rotor unit 320 is in the cruise position; the battery module 200 is arranged in the main body of the aircraft, and the battery capacity of all battery modules 200 is consistent. Each battery module 200 is respectively connected to a part of the fixed rotor unit 310 and a part of the tilt-rotor unit 320, and the number of fixed rotor units 310 connected to all battery modules 200 is consistent, and the number of tilt-rotor units 320 connected to all battery modules 200 is consistent.

[0031] Specifically, the eVTOL provided in this embodiment includes not only pure electric types, but also hydrogen-electric hybrid and oil-electric hybrid eVTOL. Figure 1 The main body of an eVTOL aircraft refers to the main structure and supporting components used to support and protect the various components of the eVTOL and the entire system, including but not limited to the fuselage 101, left wing 103, right wing 104, and empennage 102. The left wing 103 is connected to the left side of the fuselage 101, and the right wing 104 is connected to the right side of the fuselage 101. It is understood that the left and right wings 103, 104 can be connected to the fuselage 101 or integrally formed with the fuselage 101. Alternatively, the left and right wings 103, 104 can be the left and right halves of a single, integral wing connected to the fuselage 101 and extending across the left and right sides of the fuselage 101, respectively. The empennage 102 includes a left stabilizer and a right stabilizer, symmetrically arranged on either side of the fuselage 101. It is understandable that the left stabilizer and the right stabilizer may both be horizontal stabilizers, or when the tail 102 is a V-tail, the left stabilizer and the right stabilizer may also be inclined stabilizers arranged obliquely.

[0032] Both the fixed rotor unit 310 and the tilt-rotor unit 320 are propulsion assemblies 300 installed on the eVTOL. A single propulsion assembly 300 is located on the left wing 103, the right wing 104, or the tail 102, and is used to provide the thrust and / or at least partial lift required for eVTOL flight. As will be understood, the propulsion assembly 300 includes propellers, electric motors, and other accessories. The electric motors, which drive the propellers, include motors, motor controllers, and other accessories. Furthermore, to provide sufficient thrust and / or at least partial lift, and to dynamically coordinate the thrust and / or lift vectors with the center of gravity of the vehicle, the eVTOL typically has at least four propulsion assemblies 300, often an even number, such as four, six, or eight, to achieve a symmetrical layout of the propulsion assemblies 300 on the vehicle body: half of the propulsion assemblies 300 are located on the left side of the fuselage 101, while the other half are located on the right side. As can be appreciated, a symmetrical layout can facilitate control of the aircraft and maintain its flight stability. Furthermore, a symmetrical layout of the propulsion assemblies 300 also allows for rapid adjustment of the pull / thrust and / or lift distribution of the remaining propulsion assemblies 300 when the power output of some propulsion assemblies 300 decreases or is lost, thereby maintaining the overall balance of the eVTOL.

[0033] The tilt-rotor unit 320 is configured to switch between a cruise position and a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) position to adjust the eVTOL's flight attitude. As will be appreciated, during the VTOL's VTOL phase of flight, the tilt-rotor unit 320 is in the VTOL position. The high-speed rotation of the fixed rotor unit 310 and the tilt-rotor unit 320 generates upward lift, enabling the eVTOL to overcome gravity and achieve takeoff and landing. During the eVTOL's cruise phase, the tilt-rotor unit 320 tilts to the cruise position, with the wings providing lift and the tilt-rotor unit 320 providing forward pull / thrust for the eVTOL, enabling high-speed, long-range flight. It is worth noting that the tilt-rotor unit 320 in this embodiment can be in a fully tilting configuration, meaning that the entire tilt-rotor unit 320 can rotate between the cruise and VTOL positions, thereby enabling switching between the cruise and VTOL positions. Alternatively, the tilt-rotor unit 320 can be configured as a partial tilt rotor unit, where the rotor portion is rotatable between the cruise and vertical take-off and landing positions, while the pod portion is fixed to the main body of the aircraft, enabling switching between the cruise and vertical take-off and landing positions. During the cruise phase of the eVTOL, the fixed rotor unit 310 can be shut down, and the propellers can be feathered, folded, or retracted to reduce drag, or the rotational speed can be reduced to enter a low-power mode.

[0034] Battery module 200 can be configured as an eVTOL power battery, providing electrical energy to the eVTOL's propulsion assembly 300. It can also be configured to provide electrical energy to onboard system loads such as the avionics system, onboard environmental control system, and onboard lighting system. Of course, battery module 200 can also be configured as an emergency power supply for the eVTOL. It is understood that battery module 200 can be a rechargeable battery or a hydrogen fuel cell, and this embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0035] In this embodiment, to reduce aircraft costs and ease compliance verification, all battery modules 200 have the same battery capacity. In some specific implementations, battery modules 200 all utilize the same configuration to achieve the same battery capacity. This significantly reduces the number of tests and compliance verifications required during the R&D phase. Furthermore, using the same configuration of battery modules 200 also facilitates maintenance during the subsequent operational phase.

[0036] It will be appreciated that to achieve the redundancy required for flight and prevent the failure of a single battery module 200 from causing a loss of power output for all propulsion assemblies 300, the eVTOL is equipped with multiple battery modules 200, each of which is connected to a portion of all propulsion assemblies 300. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the battery modules 200 are not connected to only one type of propulsion assembly 300: the fixed rotor unit 310 or the tilt-rotor unit 320, but are connected to both a portion of the fixed rotor unit 310 and a portion of the tilt-rotor unit 320. Thus, for any battery module 200, during the vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and tilt-transition phases of eVTOL flight, the battery module 200 supplies power not only to the tilt-rotor unit 320 connected to it, but also to the fixed rotor unit 310 connected to it. During the cruise phase of eVTOL flight, when the fixed rotor unit 310 is shut down, the battery module 200 primarily powers the tilt-rotor unit 320 connected to it.

[0037] It is worth noting that the multiple battery modules 200 are symmetrically arranged on the aircraft body to balance the weight distribution of the eVTOL. Of course, the symmetrical arrangement of the multiple battery modules 200 can be bilaterally symmetrical, such as being arranged on the left and right wings respectively; it can also be front-to-back symmetrical, such as being arranged at the nose and tail of the aircraft body; or it can be arranged according to the weight distribution requirements of the aircraft, which is not limited in this embodiment.

[0038] It is easy to understand that the fixed rotor unit 310 shuts down or enters a low-power mode during the cruise phase, and during the vertical take-off and landing phase and the tilt transition phase, under normal circumstances, the power between the tilt rotor unit 320 and the fixed rotor unit 310 is not evenly distributed. For example, if the total power of the eVTOL is 1000KW, all the tilt rotor units 320 will bear a total of 600KW, and all the fixed rotor units 310 will bear a total of 400KW. In this way, the power requirements between the fixed rotor unit 310 and the tilt rotor unit 320 are not consistent. If any battery module 200 only supplies power to a part of the fixed rotor unit 310, or only supplies power to a part of the tilt rotor unit 320 under normal conditions. Then, discharge differences will occur between different battery modules 200, resulting in large differences in the remaining power of each battery module 200 after completing the flight mission. Instead of the battery modules 200 on the eVTOL being discharged evenly so that the power is simultaneously reduced to the warning value for charging or replacing the battery together, the maintenance cycles of the battery modules 200 on the eVTOL are inconsistent, thereby increasing the maintenance and operating costs of the eVTOL.

[0039] In this embodiment, since the power of all tilt-rotor units 320 on the same eVTOL is generally close to the same, the power of all fixed-rotor units 310 on the same eVTOL is generally close to the same, and each battery module 200 is connected not only to a part of the fixed-rotor units 310 to supply power thereto, but also to a part of the tilt-rotor units 320 to supply power thereto, in addition, the number of tilt-rotor units 320 connected to all battery modules 200 is the same, and the number of fixed-rotor units 310 connected to all battery modules 200 is the same, in this way, during the vertical take-off and landing phase, the tilt transition phase and the cruise phase, the power consumption of all battery modules 200 is roughly the same, or within the allowable discharge error range, discharge balance can be roughly achieved between all battery modules 200, ensuring that the power of different battery modules 200 can be roughly synchronized, or reduced to the same warning value within the allowable error range, so that they can be charged or replaced together within the same maintenance cycle.

[0040] For the propulsion assembly 300 powered by electricity, the motor controller uses a three-phase full-bridge inverter circuit to convert the high-voltage direct current provided by the battery module 200 into three-phase alternating current. This is generated through pulse-width modulation (PWM) technology, with variable frequency and amplitude AC generated. A control algorithm is then used to precisely regulate the motor speed and torque. To ensure flight safety, in one embodiment, both the tiltrotor unit 320 and the fixed rotor unit 310 include at least two motor controllers, with each of the at least two motor controllers in the tiltrotor unit 320 or fixed rotor unit 310 connected to a different battery module 200. When the propulsion assembly 300 includes at least two motor controllers, the propulsion assembly 300 has at least two power supply channels. This allows the propulsion assembly 300 to utilize at least partial power supply from the remaining battery modules 200 in the event of a power supply anomaly in one battery module 200, thereby improving the reliability and fault tolerance of the eVTOL system architecture. Alternatively, both the tiltrotor unit 320 and the fixed rotor unit 310 include at least two single-winding motors, each connected to a motor controller. Alternatively, as another option of this embodiment, the tilt-rotor unit 320 and the fixed-rotor unit 310 each include a motor, the motor including at least two motor windings, and each motor winding is connected to a motor controller. In this way, a redundant design is achieved for any propulsion assembly 300 through the above method. Since it is connected to multiple different battery modules 200, when the battery module 200 connected to any single-winding motor, motor winding, or motor controller is abnormally powered, other battery modules 200 can still supply power to the remaining single-winding motors, motor windings, or motor controllers. Of course, when other battery modules 200 can still supply power to the remaining single-winding motors, motor windings, or motor controllers, the flight control system can perform corresponding redistribution of pull / thrust and / or lift, thereby ensuring the flight safety of the eVTOL.

[0041] See also Figure 2 In one example, assume that each propulsion assembly 300 (tilt-rotor unit 320 or fixed-rotor unit 310) provides 150 kW of power. Each propulsion assembly 300 is powered by two motor controllers, meaning each motor controller must provide 75 kW. Each battery module 200 must provide 300 kW of power, bringing the total propulsion power of the entire vehicle to 1200 kW. If a single battery module 200 (first battery module 201) connected to the second and third motor controllers 612 and 621 fails, both the second and third motor controllers 612 and 621 will fail. However, the first and fourth motor controllers 611 and 622 can maintain a 75 kW output, or even increase it beyond 75 kW. This allows the eVTOL vehicle to maintain power balance for a short period of time, allowing the pilot time to make decisions.

[0042] The eVTOL propulsion assembly 300 can be located in the nose (front) area of ​​the wing, specifically at the leading edge of the wing (left wing 103 or right wing 104) or on an arm extending forward from the leading edge of the wing, thus being positioned close to the nose of the fuselage. Alternatively, the propulsion assembly 300 can be located in the tail (rear) area of ​​the wing, specifically at the trailing edge of the wing or on an arm extending rearward from the trailing edge of the wing, thus being positioned close to the tail of the aircraft body. Alternatively, the propulsion assembly can be located on the empennage 102, thus also being positioned in the tail (rear) area of ​​the wing.

[0043] It is understood that, depending on different eVTOL performance requirements, the fixed rotor units 310 and tilt-rotor units 320 may be arranged in various layouts. For example, as an option in this embodiment, the tilt-rotor units 320 are symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides of the fuselage 101 and are both located in the nose region of the wing, while the fixed rotor units 310 are symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides of the fuselage 101 and are both located in the tail region of the wing. Alternatively, as another option in this embodiment, a portion of the tilt-rotor units 320 are symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides of the fuselage 101 in the nose region of the wing, while another portion of the tilt-rotor units 320 are symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides of the fuselage 101 in the tail region of the wing, while the fixed rotor units 310 are also symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides of the wing, but only located on the nose or tail side of the wing.

[0044] Alternatively, as another option in this embodiment, of the at least two fixed rotor units 310, 2N fixed rotor units 310 are symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides of the fuselage 101 of the aircraft body and arranged near the head of the fuselage, and 2N fixed rotor units 310 are symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides of the fuselage 101 and arranged near the tail of the fuselage; N is a natural number greater than or equal to 1; of the at least two tilt-rotor units 320, 2M tilt-rotor units 320 are symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides of the fuselage 101 and arranged near the head of the fuselage, and 2M tilt-rotor units 320 are symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides of the fuselage 101 and arranged near the tail of the fuselage; M is a natural number greater than or equal to 1. It will be understood that the values ​​of N and M can be the same or different, and this embodiment does not limit this.

[0045] Specifically, see Figure 1 The propulsion assembly of the eVTOL includes at least the following groups: a first propulsion assembly group 10, including at least two propulsion assemblies 300, which are located in the front area of ​​the left wing 103; a second propulsion assembly group 20, including at least two propulsion assemblies 300, which are located in the front area of ​​the right wing 104; a third propulsion assembly group 30, including at least two propulsion assemblies 300, which are located in the rear area of ​​the left wing 103; and a fourth propulsion assembly group 40, including at least two propulsion assemblies 300, which are located in the rear area of ​​the right wing 104.

[0046] Here, the front direction is the direction toward the front of the fuselage, and the rear direction is the direction toward the rear of the fuselage. It is understood that the first propulsion assembly group 10 and the second propulsion assembly group 20 are bilaterally symmetrical about the central axis 101a of the fuselage 101, and the third propulsion assembly group 30 and the fourth propulsion assembly group 40 are also bilaterally symmetrical about the central axis 101a of the fuselage 101. Furthermore, the first propulsion assembly group 10 and the third propulsion assembly group 30 are centrally symmetrical with each other, and the second propulsion assembly group 20 and the fourth propulsion assembly group 40 are also centrally symmetrical.

[0047] The first propulsion assembly 10 of the eVTOL may include at least one tilt-rotor unit 320 and at least one fixed rotor unit 310. Accordingly, since the first propulsion assembly 10 and the second propulsion assembly 20 are arranged in an axisymmetric manner, the second propulsion assembly 20 may also include at least one tilt-rotor unit 320 and at least one fixed rotor unit 310. Furthermore, the tilt-rotor units 320 of the first propulsion assembly 10 and the tilt-rotor units 320 of the second propulsion assembly 20 are arranged in an axisymmetric manner. Simultaneously, the fixed rotor units 310 of the first propulsion assembly 10 and the fixed rotor units 310 of the second propulsion assembly 20 are also arranged in an axisymmetric manner. The third propulsion assembly 30 of the eVTOL may include at least one tilt-rotor unit 320 and at least one fixed rotor unit 310. Accordingly, since the third propulsion assembly group 30 and the fourth propulsion assembly group 40 are arranged in an axisymmetric manner, the fourth propulsion assembly group 40 may also include at least one tilt-rotor unit 320 and at least one fixed rotor unit 310. Furthermore, the tilt-rotor units 320 of the third propulsion assembly group 30 and the tilt-rotor units 320 of the fourth propulsion assembly group 40 are arranged in an axisymmetric manner one by one, and the fixed rotor units 310 of the third propulsion assembly group 30 and the fixed rotor units 310 of the fourth propulsion assembly group 40 are also arranged in an axisymmetric manner one by one.

[0048] In this embodiment, the first, second, third, and fourth propulsion assemblies 10, 20, 30, and 40 of the eVTOL all include tilt-rotor units 320. This arrangement of tilt-rotor units 320 in each of the four aforementioned regions of the fuselage 101 not only achieves high redundancy in the propulsion system but also enables more precise attitude control during the tilt transition phase. Furthermore, it provides increased thrust / thrust during the cruise phase. Of course, the first, second, third, and fourth propulsion assemblies 10, 20, 30, and 40 of the eVTOL also include fixed rotor units 310. These fixed rotor units 310 can assume the primary vertical lift generation role in that region during vertical ascent and descent, or supplement lift when the lift provided by the tilt-rotor units 320 is insufficient. This layout ensures sufficient lift reserves in each of the four aforementioned regions of the fuselage, thereby improving the eVTOL's flight stability and safety during vertical ascent and descent.

[0049] In one embodiment, all fixed rotor units 310 connected to the same battery module 200 are grouped in pairs, and the fixed rotor units 310 in the same group are centrally symmetrical; all tilt rotor units 320 connected to the same battery module 200 are grouped in pairs, and the tilt rotor units 320 in the same group are centrally symmetrical.

[0050] Specifically, when the battery module 200 supplies power to the fixed rotor unit 310 in the first propulsion assembly group 10, it also supplies power to the fixed rotor unit 310 in the fourth propulsion assembly group 40, and the two fixed rotor units 310 are centrally symmetrical with each other. Furthermore, when the battery module 200 supplies power to the tilt-rotor unit 320 in the first propulsion assembly group 10, it also supplies power to the tilt-rotor unit 320 in the fourth propulsion assembly group 40, and the two tilt-rotor units 320 are centrally symmetrical with each other. Similarly, when the battery module 200 supplies power to the fixed rotor unit 310 or the tilt-rotor unit 320 in the second propulsion assembly group 20, it also supplies power to the fixed rotor unit 310 or the tilt-rotor unit 320 in the third propulsion assembly group 30, and the two fixed rotor units 310 or the tilt-rotor units 320 are centrally symmetrical with each other.

[0051] Therefore, when any battery module 200 fails, the power output is reduced symmetrically in a central manner on the horizontal plane where the eVTOL is located, thereby avoiding the situation where the torque of the unilateral propulsion assembly 300 is not balanced, ensuring the aerodynamic balance of the eVTOL during flight, and also facilitating the flight control system to adjust the pull / thrust and / or lift distribution to ensure normal flight.

[0052] Furthermore, as previously mentioned, although the propulsion assembly 300 utilizes a backup design, such as a dual-winding motor, activating the backup or redistributing power to the flight control system requires a response time. During this response time, the thrust / lift and / or lift provided by the faulty side of the fuselage is still less than that provided by the healthy side, resulting in flight instability. However, by providing symmetrical power supply through the center of the battery module 200, if the battery module 200 fails, the two symmetrical propulsion assemblies 300 (the two fixed rotor units 310 or the two tilt-rotor units 320) simultaneously lose power. This ensures power balance without requiring a response from the flight control system, and reduces the complexity of the flight control system's fault-tolerant control algorithm.

[0053] In addition, in the first propulsion assembly group 10 and the third propulsion assembly group 30, or the second propulsion assembly group 20 and the fourth propulsion assembly group 40: all fixed rotor units connected to the same battery module 200 are grouped in pairs, and the fixed rotor units 310 in the same group are centrally symmetrical; all tilt rotor units 320 connected to the same battery module 200 are grouped in pairs, and the tilt rotor units 320 in the same group are centrally symmetrical.

[0054] The point of symmetry about the center can be the eVTOL's center of gravity, point G. Alternatively, in one embodiment, when the eVTOL is in the vertical take-off and landing phase, the projections of the propellers of the tilt-rotor units 320 in the same group on the horizontal plane are centrally symmetric about point B. Point B and the vertical take-off and landing vehicle's center of gravity, point G, are both located within the symmetry plane of the fuselage, and point B is located on the side of point G closer to the tail. During the eVTOL's modal change, both point G and point B move along the symmetry plane, and point B always remains on the side of point G closer to the tail.

[0055] See also Figure 3 With this layout, the eVTOL's center of gravity (G) and the tiltrotor unit's 320 center of symmetry (B) do not coincide. Specifically, during the eVTOL's transition from vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) to cruise, both points G and B move along the plane of symmetry toward the nose of the fuselage. Consequently, the traction force exerted by the tiltrotor unit 320 forward of the center of gravity exerts a smaller torque on the center of gravity (G), while the traction force exerted by the tiltrotor unit 320 aft of the center of gravity exerts a larger torque on the center of gravity (G). This torque difference between the front and rear tiltrotor units 320 can offset some of the pitching torque generated by the tiltrotor unit's 320 wash area on the empennage 102, thereby reducing the difficulty of pitch control. Therefore, when the tilt-rotor units 320 on the front and rear sides of the center of gravity G have the same throttle speed, a nose-down moment will be generated due to the difference in the length of the lever arm of the center of gravity G. The nose-down moment can be used to offset or partially offset the nose-up moment generated by the action of the wash area of ​​the tilt-rotor unit 320 on the tail wing on the tail wing 102. Therefore, the eVTOL can better balance the pitch moment when the throttle of the front and rear propulsion components are consistent.

[0056] Of course, for the fixed rotor unit 310, in one embodiment, when the eVTOL is in the vertical take-off and landing stage, the projections of the propellers of the fixed rotor unit 310 in the same group on the horizontal plane are all centrally symmetrical about point A, and point A is located in the symmetry plane of the fuselage. During the modal change of the eVTOL, point G is located on the side of point A close to the head of the fuselage or coincides with point A, and point B is always located on the side of point A close to the tail.

[0057] See also Figure 3Specifically, with the nose of the eVTOL facing forward, the center point B of the 2M tilt-rotor units 320 is located behind the center point A of the 2N fixed rotor units 310, and the distance from point A to point B is L2, L2>0. As the 2M tilt-rotor units 320 tilt forward, the center of gravity of the 2M tilt-rotor units 320, the center of gravity G of the eVTOL, and the symmetry center point B will move toward the nose of the fuselage. The 2M tilt-rotor units 320 move from a preset vertical take-off and landing position (for example, During the entire tilting process from the tilting position (for example, a tilt angle of 90°) to the preset cruising position (for example, a tilt angle of 0°), L2 is always greater than 0. At the same time, the center of gravity G of the eVTOL is located in front of the symmetry center B of the 2M tilt-rotor units 320, and is also located in front of the symmetry center A of the 2N fixed rotor units 310. The distance from point A to point G is L1, and L1 ≥ 0. As the 2M tilt-rotor units 320 tilt forward, the center of gravity G gradually moves forward, and the absolute value of L1 becomes larger and larger. Under this layout, the center of gravity of the eVTOL and the center of symmetry of the fixed rotor unit 310 or the center of symmetry of the tilt rotor unit 320 do not coincide with each other, and during the transition of the eVTOL from the vertical take-off and landing phase to the cruise phase, both points G and B move along the symmetry plane toward the side close to the head of the fuselage, and point G is located on the side of point A close to the head of the fuselage or coincides with point A, and point B is always located on the side of point A close to the tail 102. Therefore, the pulling force generated by the tilt rotor unit 320 and the fixed rotor unit 310 in front of the center of gravity has a smaller torque on the center of gravity point G, and the pulling force generated by the tilt rotor unit 320 and the fixed rotor unit 310 behind the center of gravity has a larger torque on the center of gravity point G. The torque difference between the front and rear rotors can resist part of the nose-up torque generated by the tilt rotor wash area on the tail wing, thereby reducing the difficulty of pitch control. Therefore, when the fixed rotor unit 310 or the tilt rotor unit 320 on the front and rear sides of the center of gravity G have the same throttle speed, a nose-down moment will be generated due to the difference in the length of the lever arm of the center of gravity G. The nose-down moment can be used to offset or partially offset the nose-up moment generated by the action of the tilt rotor unit 320 wash zone on the tail wing. Therefore, the eVTOL can better balance the pitch moment when the throttle of the front and rear propulsion components are consistent.

[0058] It is understood that for the two propulsion assemblies 300 (two fixed rotor units 310 or two tilt rotor units 320) arranged symmetrically about the center, when one of the propulsion assemblies is abnormal, the eVTOL flight control system redistributes power including but not limited to:

[0059] Shut down both the abnormal propulsion assembly and the symmetrical propulsion assembly of the abnormal propulsion assembly; at this time, the two symmetrical propulsion assemblies 300 in the eVTOL lose their pull / lift / thrust, thereby preventing the eVTOL from pitching / yaw / flipping toward the side where any propulsion assembly is abnormal.

[0060] Alternatively, the abnormal propulsion assembly and its counterparts can be shut down, and the output power of the remaining propulsion assemblies adjusted to achieve the desired thrust, lift, or thrust. Specifically, if the thrust, lift, or thrust currently provided by the remaining propulsion assemblies is insufficient to meet the required thrust, lift, or thrust, the eVTOL's flight control system can control the remaining propulsion assemblies to increase their power, thereby achieving a higher power output and achieving the desired thrust, lift, or thrust.

[0061] Alternatively, the output power of the symmetrical propulsion assembly of the abnormal propulsion assembly can be adjusted to match the thrust, lift, and thrust provided by the abnormal propulsion assembly. That is, if one propulsion assembly is abnormal but not completely powerless, or if it is needed to provide the corresponding thrust, lift, and thrust, the output power of the other symmetrical propulsion assembly can be reduced to ensure aerodynamic balance of the eVTOL during flight.

[0062] Alternatively, the output power of the symmetrical propulsion assembly and the remaining propulsion assemblies of the abnormal propulsion assembly can be adjusted to achieve the desired thrust, lift, and thrust. Since eVTOLs are used in complex urban environments, to achieve more ideal aerodynamic balance across the entire flight profile, the eVTOL's flight control system, upon detecting that a propulsion assembly 300 has experienced a reduction in output power or even failure due to a battery module 200 failure or other reasons, will proactively reduce the power of the propulsion assembly 300 symmetrical to the failed propulsion assembly 300, thereby ensuring the aerodynamic balance of the symmetrical eVTOL. Furthermore, the eVTOL's flight control system will control the remaining propulsion assemblies 300 to increase their power, thereby achieving higher power output and the desired thrust, lift, and thrust.

[0063] Furthermore, for any of the aforementioned first propulsion assembly group 10, second propulsion assembly group 20, third propulsion assembly group 30, and fourth propulsion assembly group 40: when it includes two propulsion assemblies 300, the tilt-rotor unit 320 may be arranged farther from the central axis of the fuselage 101 than the fixed rotor unit 310, or the fixed rotor unit 310 may be arranged farther from the central axis of the fuselage 101 than the tilt-rotor unit 320. When it includes three or more propulsion assemblies 300, the tilt-rotor units 320 and the fixed rotor units 310 may be arranged alternately one by one, or in varying numbers. Alternatively, on a single side of the fuselage 101, any tilt-rotor unit 320 may be arranged farther from the central axis of the fuselage 101 than any fixed rotor unit 310, or any fixed rotor unit 310 may be arranged farther from the central axis of the fuselage than any tilt-rotor unit 320. This embodiment is not limited to this.

[0064] In a specific embodiment, on either side of the left or right side of the fuselage 101 , any fixed rotor unit 310 is located on a side of any tilt rotor unit 320 away from the central axis 101 a of the aircraft body.

[0065] Specifically,

[0066] See also Figure 3 In the left-right direction, the fixed rotor units 310 of the first and second propulsion assembly groups 10 and 20 are located closer to the wingtip of their respective wings (left wing 103 or right wing 104), while the tilt-rotor units 320 are located closer to the wingroot of their respective wings. In the third and fourth propulsion assembly groups 30 and 40, the fixed rotor units 310 are located closer to the wingtip of their respective wings, while the tilt-rotor units 320 are located closer to the wingroot of their respective wings. Furthermore, the fixed rotor units 310 of the third propulsion assembly group 30 are also located closer to the wingtip than the tilt-rotor units 320 of the first propulsion assembly group 10. Similarly, the fixed rotor units 310 of the second propulsion assembly group 20 are also located closer to the wingtip than the tilt-rotor units 320 of the fourth propulsion assembly group 40. Of course, the fixed rotor unit 310 of the fourth propulsion assembly group 40 is also located on the wingtip side compared to the tilt rotor unit 320 of the second propulsion assembly group 20, and the fixed rotor unit 310 of the first propulsion assembly group 10 is also located on the wingtip side compared to the tilt rotor unit 320 of the third propulsion assembly group 30.

[0067] In this specific embodiment, please refer to Figure 4 All fixed rotor units 310 are located outside the fuselage 101 to form a first power group 1, and all tilt rotor units 320 are located inside the fuselage 101 to form a second power group 2. The first power group 1 and the second power group 2 work together to maintain the aerodynamic balance of the entire machine.

[0068] As previously mentioned, since the fixed rotor units 310 will shut down or enter a low-power mode during the eVTOL's cruise phase, the fixed rotor units 310 are positioned externally, while all the tilt-rotor units 320 are positioned internally. Compared to positioning the tilt-rotor units 320 externally and the fixed rotor units 310 internally, the layout provided in this embodiment can also reduce the yaw moment generated after the failure of some of the tilt-rotor units 320. Since one of the core functions of the tail 102 during vertical takeoff and landing is to balance the yaw moment, a significant reduction in yaw moment naturally reduces the tail capacity requirement (vertical tail area × vertical tail lever arm), thereby expanding the safe flight envelope after the failure of some of the tilt-rotor units 320.

[0069] For easier understanding, see Figure 3 and Figure 5 , a specific example of a propulsion component layout is shown below:

[0070] At least two tilt-rotor units 320 include a first tilt-rotor unit 321, a second tilt-rotor unit 322, a third tilt-rotor unit 323, and a fourth tilt-rotor unit 324. The first tilt-rotor unit 321 is provided on the left wing 103 and is located on the fuselage head side of the left wing 103. The second tilt-rotor unit 322 is provided on the right wing 104 and is located on the fuselage head side of the right wing 104. The third tilt-rotor unit 323 is provided on the left stabilizer, and the fourth tilt-rotor unit 324 is provided on the right stabilizer. At least two fixed rotor units 310 include a first fixed rotor unit 311, a second fixed rotor unit 312, a third fixed rotor unit 323, and a fourth fixed rotor unit 324. 313 and the fourth fixed rotor unit 314, the first fixed rotor unit 311 is arranged on the fuselage head side of the left wing 103 and is located on the side of the first tilt-rotor unit 321 away from the fuselage 101, the second fixed rotor unit 312 is arranged on the fuselage head side of the right wing 104 and is located on the side of the second tilt-rotor unit 322 away from the fuselage 101, the third fixed rotor unit 313 is arranged on the fuselage tail side of the left wing 103 and is located on the side of the third tilt-rotor unit 323 away from the fuselage 101, and the fourth fixed rotor unit 314 is arranged on the fuselage tail side of the right wing 104 and is located on the side of the fourth tilt-rotor unit 324 away from the fuselage 101.

[0071] As can be seen, in this example, the eVTOL includes a total of four tilt-rotor units 320, two of which are located at the wingtips of the left and right stabilizers of the tail 102, respectively. The other two tilt-rotor units 320 are located on the fuselage nose side of the left wing 103 and the fuselage nose side of the right wing 104, respectively. They are approximately aligned with the tilt-rotor units 320 on the corresponding sides of the tail 102, so that the other two tilt-rotor units 320 are arranged close to the fuselage 101. The eVTOL also includes four fixed rotor units 310, two of which are located on the fuselage nose side and the fuselage tail side of the left wing 103, respectively, and are both arranged close to the wingtip of the left wing 103. The other two fixed rotor units 310 are located on the fuselage nose side and the fuselage tail side of the right wing 104, respectively, and are both arranged close to the wingtip of the right wing 104. Specifically, the first fixed rotor unit 311 is located on the nose side of the left wing 103, and the third fixed rotor unit 313 is located on the tail side of the left wing 103. The first and third fixed rotor units 311, 313 are arranged on a line parallel to the central axis 101a of the fuselage 101. The second and fourth fixed rotor units 312, 314 are both located on the right side of the fuselage 101, with the second fixed rotor unit 312 being symmetrical with the first fixed rotor unit 311 about the central axis 101a of the fuselage 101, and the fourth fixed rotor unit 314 being symmetrical with the third fixed rotor unit 313 about the central axis 101a of the fuselage 101.

[0072] It is understandable that when the fuselage size is sufficient, the tilt rotor unit 320 or the fixed rotor unit 310 can be directly installed on the wing. Alternatively, since eVTOL is often used in urban environments, its fuselage size is limited. For this reason, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 The first tilt-rotor unit 321 is connected to the left wing 103 through the left arm 1031 ; the second tilt-rotor unit 322 is connected to the right wing 104 through the right arm 1041 .

[0073] Specifically, two arms are spaced apart on the left wing 103 along the left-right direction. One of them is located near the fuselage 101, forming the left arm 1031. Left arm 1031 extends forward to accommodate the first tilt-rotor unit 321. The other is located near the wingtip of the left wing 103, with one end extending forward to accommodate the first fixed rotor unit 311 and the other end extending rearward to accommodate the third fixed rotor unit 313. Similarly, two arms are spaced apart on the right wing 104 along the left-right direction. One of them is located near the fuselage 101, forming the right arm 1041. Right arm 1041 extends forward to accommodate the second tilt-rotor unit 322. The other is located near the wingtip of the right wing 104, with one end extending forward to accommodate the second fixed rotor unit 312 and the other end extending rearward to accommodate the fourth fixed rotor unit 314.

[0074] In this example, see Figure 1 and Figure 5 The eVTOL includes a first battery module 201, a second battery module 202, a third battery module 203, and a fourth battery module 204. To improve the reliability and fault tolerance of the electrical system and meet the requirements for aircraft weight distribution, the first battery module 201, the second battery module 202, the third battery module 203, and the fourth battery module 204 can be distributed at different locations on the fuselage 101. To ensure uniform weight distribution of the eVTOL, they can be symmetrically distributed on both sides of the fuselage 101. That is, the first battery module 201 and the second battery module 202 are distributed on one side of the aircraft body, and the third battery module 203 and the fourth battery module 204 are distributed on the other side of the aircraft body. It is worth mentioning that the side of the aircraft body can be a side in the left-right direction, or a side in the front-back direction, and this embodiment is not limited to this. In a specific embodiment, the first battery module 201 is arranged on a left arm 1031 connected to the first tilt-rotor unit 321, the second battery module 202 is arranged on a right arm 1041 connected to the second tilt-rotor unit 322, the third battery module 203 is arranged on the left wing 103, and the fourth battery module 204 is arranged on the right wing 104.

[0075] It is worth mentioning that the battery module 200 can be fixedly installed in the aircraft body or movably installed in the aircraft body; thereby, the aircraft weight balance can be adjusted according to the actual cabin or cargo hold weight of the pilot / flight mission.

[0076] See also Figure 6 In the first example, the first battery module 201 is connected to the first fixed rotor unit 311, the first tilt rotor unit 321, the fourth fixed rotor unit 314, and the fourth tilt rotor unit 324, thereby supplying power to a motor winding of each of the four propulsion assemblies 300, and the second battery module 202 is connected to the second fixed rotor unit 312, the second tilt rotor unit 322, the third fixed rotor unit 313, and the third tilt rotor unit 323, thereby supplying power to a motor winding of each of the four propulsion assemblies 300. The third battery module 203 is connected to the second fixed rotor unit 312, the second tilt rotor unit 322, the third fixed rotor unit 313 and the third tilt rotor unit 323, thereby supplying power to a motor winding of each propulsion assembly 300 in the four propulsion assemblies 300, and the fourth battery module 204 is connected to the first fixed rotor unit 311, the first tilt rotor unit 321, the fourth fixed rotor unit 314 and the fourth tilt rotor unit 324, thereby supplying power to a motor winding of each propulsion assembly 300 in the four propulsion assemblies 300.

[0077] Alternatively, see Figure 7 In the second example, the first battery module 201 is connected to the first fixed rotor unit 311, the first tilt rotor unit 321, the fourth fixed rotor unit 314, and the fourth tilt rotor unit 324, thereby supplying power to a motor winding of each of the four propulsion assemblies 300, and the second battery module 202 is connected to the second fixed rotor unit 312, the second tilt rotor unit 322, the third fixed rotor unit 313, and the third tilt rotor unit 323, thereby supplying power to a motor winding of each of the four propulsion assemblies 300. The third battery module 203 is connected to the first fixed rotor unit 311, the second tilt-rotor unit 322, the fourth fixed rotor unit 314 and the third tilt-rotor unit 323, thereby supplying power to a motor winding of each propulsion assembly 300 in the four propulsion assemblies 300, and the fourth battery module 204 is connected to the second fixed rotor unit 312, the first tilt-rotor unit 321, the third fixed rotor unit 313 and the fourth tilt-rotor unit 324, thereby supplying power to a motor winding of each propulsion assembly 300 in the four propulsion assemblies 300.

[0078] In the above two examples, the purpose of using the above connection method is:

[0079] (1) Discharge balance between battery modules 200

[0080] As previously mentioned, the fixed rotor unit 310 shuts down or enters a low-power mode during the cruise phase, and during the vertical take-off and landing phase and the tilt transition phase, under normal circumstances, the power between the tilt rotor unit 320 and the fixed rotor unit 310 is not evenly distributed. For example, if the total power of the eVTOL is 1000KW, all the tilt rotor units 320 will bear a total of 600KW, and all the fixed rotor units 310 will bear a total of 400KW. In this way, the power demand between the first power group 1 and the second power group 2 is inconsistent. If any of the first battery module 201, the second battery module 202, the third battery module 203, and the fourth battery module 204 only supplies power to several propulsion assemblies 300 in the first power group 1, or only supplies power to several propulsion assemblies 300 in the second power group 2 under normal conditions. Then, discharge differences will occur between the first battery module 201, the second battery module 202, the third battery module 203 and the fourth battery module 204 with the same battery capacity, resulting in large differences in the remaining power of each battery module 200 after the flight. Instead of the battery modules 200 on the eVTOL being discharged evenly and the power being reduced to the warning value synchronously for synchronous charging / replacement, the maintenance cycles of the battery modules 200 on the eVTOL will be inconsistent, thereby increasing the maintenance cost of the eVTOL or affecting the operational economy of the eVTOL.

[0081] In the above example, the first battery module 201, the second battery module 202, the third battery module 203 and the fourth battery module 204 all supply power to the two fixed rotor units 310 and to the two tilt-rotor units 320. In this way, the four battery modules 200 can achieve discharge balance with each other, ensuring that the power of the four battery modules 200 is simultaneously reduced to the warning value so that they can be charged or replaced simultaneously.

[0082] (2) Symmetrical power supply improves flight stability

[0083] Understandably, although propulsion assembly 300 utilizes a backup design, such as a dual-winding motor, activating the backup or redistributing power to the flight control system requires response time. During this response time, the thrust / lift / thrust provided by the faulty side of the fuselage is still less than that of the healthy side, resulting in flight instability. However, symmetrical power supply from battery module 200 allows both centrally symmetrical propulsion assemblies 300 to lose power simultaneously in the event of a battery module 200 failure. This ensures dynamic balance without requiring a response from the flight control system, and reduces the complexity of the flight control system's fault-tolerant control algorithm.

[0084] (3) Flight safety in various failure scenarios

[0085] In the first example and the second example, during the tilt transition stage and the vertical landing stage, when a single battery module 200 among the first battery module 201, the second battery module 202, the third battery module 203 and the fourth battery module 204 fails, only four of the eight propulsion assemblies 300, which are arranged in a centrally symmetrical manner in pairs, lose part of their power output, and the eVTOL can still maintain the balance of the entire machine, and the entire machine has sufficient lift.

[0086] In the first example, when the first battery module 201 and the third battery module 203 (i.e., the left area of ​​the fuselage 101 loses power supply capability, see below, this situation may occur when the same power distribution module 100 shared by the battery modules 200 on a single side of the fuselage 101 fails) both fail, or when the second battery module 202 and the fourth battery module 204 both fail, or when the first battery module 201 and the second battery module 202 both fail, or when the third battery module 203 and the fourth battery module 204 both fail, the eight propulsion assemblies 300 on the eVTOL all lose some power output, that is, all eight propulsion assemblies 300 can output some power, thereby ensuring that the eVTOL can still temporarily maintain balance.

[0087] In the second example, if both the first and third battery modules 201 and 203 (i.e., the left side of the fuselage 101 loses power, see below. This situation may occur if the power distribution module 100 shared by the battery modules 200 on one side of the fuselage 101 fails) fail, only the first and fourth fixed rotor units 311 and 314 of the eVTOL completely lose power. The remaining six propulsion assemblies 300 can still provide sufficient lift to ensure normal flight. Furthermore, the first and fourth fixed rotor units 311 and 314 are arranged symmetrically, thus maintaining the overall balance of the aircraft. Similarly, if both battery modules 200 on the right side of the fuselage 101 fail, the eVTOL can still ensure safe flight. If both the first and second battery modules 201 and 202 fail, all eight propulsion assemblies 300 lose some power, meaning that all eight propulsion assemblies 300 can maintain power output, ensuring the eVTOL remains flightable. Similarly, when the third battery module 203 and the fourth battery module 204 fail, the eight propulsion assemblies 300 all lose some power, that is, the eight propulsion assemblies 300 can maintain power output, thereby ensuring that the VTOL can still fly.

[0088] Of course, to meet eVTOL safety requirements, the motor in the electric motor of the propulsion assembly 300, as described above, is a dual-winding motor, with each motor winding utilizing a separate motor controller to provide the required power. If a single motor winding fails, the remaining motor winding can still provide partial power, or the output power of the remaining motor winding can be increased to meet the eVTOL flight control requirements. However, current backup designs, due to limitations such as size, device efficiency, and heat dissipation, do not provide full redundancy. Using the dual-winding motor as an example, if one motor winding fails, the remaining motor winding cannot achieve 100% power output from the propulsion assembly 300 through performance improvement. Instead, the propulsion assembly 300 can maintain power output, albeit with performance degradation. Therefore, it is necessary to restore the failed motor winding to function, thereby enabling the propulsion assembly 300 to function normally.

[0089] Furthermore, if a single motor winding fails, the remaining motor windings typically need to increase their output power to meet flight requirements, which increases power consumption and causes a rapid drop in the voltage of the connected battery module 200. Furthermore, due to the inherent characteristics of current battery modules 200, which are limited by energy density, packing ratio, weight, and installation space, prolonged high-rate discharge poses a challenge to battery safety and may cause thermal runaway of the battery module 200. Therefore, at the eVTOL machine level, it is undesirable for a single battery module 200 to enter an unsafe state. Therefore, it is necessary to restore the failed motor winding to function, thereby enabling the propulsion assembly 300 to function normally.

[0090] To this end, in one embodiment, the vertical take-off and landing aircraft further includes a power distribution module 100, through which at least some of the battery modules 200 are connected to corresponding tilt-rotor units 320 or fixed-rotor units 310, i.e., propulsion assembly 300. The power distribution module 100 is configured to have multiple independent bus states and a common bus state.

[0091] Among them, when the power distribution module 100 is in a multi-independent bus state, the power distribution module 100 has multiple independent buses 130, the number of independent buses 130 is consistent with the number of battery modules 200 connected to the power distribution module 100 and corresponds one-to-one to each other, and each battery module 200 is respectively connected to a part of the fixed rotor unit 310 and a part of the tilt-rotor unit 320 through the corresponding independent bus 130; when the power distribution module 100 is in a common bus state, the power distribution module 100 has a common bus, at least part of all battery modules 200 connected to the power distribution module 100 are connected in parallel to the input side of the common bus, and all fixed rotor units 310 and tilt-rotor units 320 connected to the power distribution module 100 are connected to the output side of the common bus.

[0092] Specifically, in aircraft such as eVTOL, the battery module 200 and the propulsion assembly 300 are not directly connected, but are connected through the power distribution module 100, so that the power distribution module 100 can distribute the power provided by the battery module 200, transmit the power to different propulsion assemblies 300, and also facilitate the distribution of power to other onboard loads. In other words, the power distribution module 100 is the power transmission system from multiple battery modules 200 to the corresponding multiple propulsion assemblies 300. Therefore, please refer to Figure 8 The power distribution module 100 has an input interface 110 connected to the battery module 200, thereby receiving the power provided by the battery module 200 connected thereto. The power distribution module 100 also has an output interface 120 connected to various loads including the motor windings of the corresponding propulsion assembly 300. The output interface 120 transmits the distributed power to the various loads connected thereto. It is worth mentioning that an output interface 120 may include multiple sub-interfaces, thereby connecting to multiple loads. For example, see Figure 6 In the specific embodiment provided, the first battery module 201 is connected to a motor winding in each of the first fixed rotor unit 311 , the first tilt rotor unit 321 , the fourth fixed rotor unit 314 and the fourth tilt rotor unit 324 through multiple sub-interfaces of the same output interface 120 .

[0093] In this embodiment, the power distribution module 100 is configured to have multiple independent bus states and a common bus state. It will be appreciated that when in the multiple independent bus state, the power distribution module 100 includes multiple independent buses 130. Specifically, the power distribution module 100 establishes a normal power supply channel between a battery module 200 and the corresponding propulsion assembly 300 (a portion of the fixed rotor unit 310 and a portion of the tilt-rotor unit 320 connected to the battery module 200) via an independent bus 130, thereby transmitting power provided by the battery module 200 to the corresponding propulsion assembly 300 via the independent bus 130. When in the common bus state, the power distribution module 100 has a single common bus. In this state, the power distribution module 100 reconfigures all of its internal independent buses 130 into a common bus, such that the input interfaces 110 corresponding to the reconfigured independent buses 130 are all connected to the input side of the common bus, and the output interfaces 120 corresponding to the reconfigured independent buses 130 are all connected to the output side of the common bus, thereby enabling all battery modules 200 to collectively power the corresponding multiple output interfaces 120.

[0094] Therefore, if any battery module 200 connected to the power distribution module 100 experiences a power supply anomaly, the power distribution module 100 can switch to a common bus state and distribute the power provided by the other battery modules 200 to the propulsion assembly 300 corresponding to that battery module 200, thereby ensuring a continuous power supply to the corresponding propulsion assembly 300 and ensuring stable power to the propulsion assembly 300. For eVTOLs, this ensures a continuous power supply to the eVTOL's onboard loads, further improving the eVTOL's safety margin. It should be noted that under normal operating conditions, the power distribution module 100 operates in a multi-independent bus state. As will be appreciated, since the normal power supply channels of each independent bus 130 are independent of each other, a redundant design exists in the multi-independent bus state, preventing a single point failure from causing a breakdown of the entire onboard electrical system.

[0095] Among them, as an option, the power distribution module 100 is configured to switch to the public bus state when it detects that at least one battery module 200 has a power supply anomaly, that is, it is used to ensure that the eVTOL can fly to a minimum extent or increase the time for the pilot to deal with the situation when the battery module 200 has a power supply anomaly and the corresponding propulsion assembly 300 and other loads are facing the risk of failure, that is, one or more propulsion assemblies 300 are facing the risk of shutdown, and the eVTOL may fall into a dangerous state. It should be noted that the power supply anomaly of the battery module 200 can be a failure, such as the power of the battery module 200 drops below a preset threshold. Of course, the power supply anomaly of the battery module 200 can also include other situations where the battery module 200 cannot normally provide power to the outside, such as failure of the battery module 200, damage by external objects, or failure due to high temperature.

[0096] Of course, in order to ensure the accuracy of state switching, in one embodiment, the power distribution module 100 is configured to switch to the common bus state when it detects that the voltage value of at least one independent bus is less than the warning value and the internal line of the independent bus 130 is not short-circuited.

[0097] If the short-circuit fault is not eliminated, connecting this independent bus 130 with other independent buses 130 to reconstruct a common bus will cause the common bus to remain in a short-circuit fault state, which may lead to catastrophic consequences for the eVTOL. Therefore, when the independent bus 130 is short-circuited, the power distribution module 100 is not allowed to switch states. And after the short-circuit fault is eliminated, it can be seen that in the common bus state, the input interface 110 corresponding to the battery module 200 with abnormal power supply is connected to the input side of the common bus, but the battery module 200 with abnormal power supply itself is disconnected from the circuit due to the fault.

[0098] In the case of excluding short circuit faults, circuit parameters include but are not limited to current value, voltage value or insulation resistance value, etc. Taking voltage value as an example, specifically, a voltage sampling circuit or other structure can be configured in the power distribution module 100 to monitor the real-time voltage value of each independent bus 130. When the voltage value of at least one independent bus 130 is less than the warning value, it indicates that the battery module 200 corresponding to at least one independent bus 130 may have an abnormal power supply, and then it can be switched to the common bus state. Of course, since the power distribution module 100 may be involved in the normal power-off after landing of an aircraft such as eVTOL, resulting in a decrease in voltage value, in order to further ensure the accuracy of state switching, in one embodiment, the power distribution module 100 is configured to switch to the common bus state when it detects that the voltage value of at least one independent bus 130 is less than the warning value, there is no short circuit in the internal circuit of the independent bus, and the vertical take-off and landing aircraft is in flight.

[0099] It should be noted that, in addition to the above reasons why it is necessary to restore the failed motor winding to work so that the propulsion assembly 300 can work normally, please refer to Figure 6 After the first battery module 201 fails, only a single motor winding of the first fixed rotor unit 311, the first tilt rotor unit 321, the fourth fixed rotor unit 314, and the fourth tilt rotor unit 324 works, which will cause the battery module 200 ( Figure 6 The fourth battery module 204 in the system consumes significantly more power and requires a higher discharge rate. In particular, transient responses can cause the voltage of this battery module 200 to drop, impacting the safety of the entire system. In this embodiment, the remaining three battery modules 200 are connected in parallel to the input side of the common bus. This increases their capacity and provides greater tolerance to transient responses, thus ensuring the safety of the entire system.

[0100] Furthermore, it is not difficult to see that the parallel connection of the remaining battery modules 200 can force the voltages of the remaining battery modules to converge. Prior to the actual parallel connection, the voltages of the remaining battery modules 200 were always inconsistent, and the loads did not stop working during the parallel connection process. After the parallel connection, the output current of the battery module 200 with a higher voltage was greater, and soon the voltages of the remaining multiple battery modules 200 converged. This can maintain voltage stability for the onboard electrical system, reduce voltage fluctuations, and provide higher fault tolerance, thereby improving the stability of the entire system. That is, in this embodiment, since the multiple battery modules 200 have a larger capacity after being connected in parallel, they are more tolerant to transient responses, thereby ensuring the overall safety of the aircraft.

[0101] Alternatively, as another option, the power distribution module 100 is configured to switch from the multiple independent bus states to the common bus state when a complete failure of any propulsion component is detected.

[0102] Specifically, the failure of a propulsion assembly includes failure of all motor windings of the propulsion assembly, or failure of the propeller portion of the propulsion assembly. A motor winding failure may be an abnormal decrease in power output or even a complete loss of power output. It is easy to understand that if all motor windings of a propulsion assembly fail or a propeller fails, the eVTOL flight control system needs to reduce the power of the symmetrical propulsion assembly of the propulsion assembly, or even shut down the symmetrical propulsion assembly, in order to redistribute the thrust / thrust and / or lift. Please refer to Figure 6 After the first fixed rotor unit 311 of the eVTOL fails, the fourth fixed rotor unit 314, which is symmetrical with it, is shut down to maintain stable flight. This inevitably results in excess capacity in the first and fourth battery modules 201 and 204 connected to the first and fourth fixed rotor units 311 and 314. Furthermore, to maintain flight power requirements, the eVTOL's total power requirement remains unchanged. Therefore, after the first fixed rotor unit 311 fails, the flight control system controls other propulsion components (including but not limited to the first tiltrotor unit 321, the third fixed rotor unit 313, the fourth tiltrotor unit 324, and the second fixed rotor unit 312) to increase their output power. This inevitably causes the battery modules 200 connected to these power-boosted propulsion components 300 to discharge at a high rate, causing their charge to decrease more rapidly than that of other battery modules 200, making it difficult to maintain all battery modules 200 within the same maintenance cycle. In this embodiment, the power distribution module 100 reorganizes the power grid so that the remaining battery modules 200 are connected in parallel and supply power together to achieve discharge balance and improve maintenance economy.

[0103] Furthermore, high-rate discharge of the battery modules 200 can also lead to thermal runaway of the battery modules 200, posing a safety hazard. In this embodiment, the power distribution module 100 switches to a common bus state to reorganize the power grid, allowing the remaining battery modules 200 to be connected in parallel for balanced power supply, thereby improving overall system safety.

[0104] Furthermore, in related art, when a single motor winding in the propulsion assembly 300 fails, the flight control system must shut down the symmetrical propulsion assembly. However, in this embodiment, not only does the power of the symmetrical propulsion assembly be adjusted, but the power grid is also reorganized by switching the state of the power distribution module 100. It is worth noting that the power distribution module 100 switches to the common bus state to address the problem of motor winding or battery module 200 failure faced by eVTOLs. After switching to the common bus state, the system will not switch back to the multiple independent bus state during the flight mission.

[0105] In addition, the power distribution module 100 switches from the multiple independent bus state to the common bus state through the first switch units 140 , and the number of the first switch units 140 is consistent with the number of the independent buses 130 .

[0106] As an option of this embodiment, the first switch units 140 correspond one-to-one to the independent buses 130, all the first switch units 140 are connected in parallel to each other, and each first switch unit 140 is respectively connected in series with the corresponding independent bus 130 so that when all the first switch units 140 are disconnected, the distribution module 100 is in a multi-independent bus state, and when all the first switch units 140 are turned on, all the independent buses 130 are reconstructed in parallel into a common bus to switch to the common bus state.

[0107] See also Figure 8 Specifically, the power distribution module 100 is additionally provided with a plurality of first switch units 140 connected in parallel with each other. The number of the first switch units 140 is consistent with the number of the independent buses 130 and they correspond one-to-one to each other. One end of each first switch unit 140 is connected in series with the corresponding independent bus 130, and the other end of each first switch unit 140 is connected to the same line to achieve parallel connection with each other.

[0108] In this way, when all first switch units 140 are turned off, a single battery module 200 corresponds to a single independent bus 130. Under normal operating conditions, the independent buses 130 corresponding to different battery modules 200 are electrically isolated from each other, placing the power distribution module 100 in a multi-independent bus state. In this multi-independent bus state, a failure in any battery module 200 or load circuit will not affect the other independent buses 130 within the power distribution module 100, thereby improving the safety margin. When all first switch units 140 are turned on, all independent buses 130 are connected in parallel, thereby reconstructing a common bus.

[0109] Alternatively, as another option of this embodiment, all independent buses 130 of the distribution module 100 are connected end to end in sequence, and a first switch unit 140 is set between adjacent independent buses 130, so that when all first switch units 140 are disconnected, the distribution module 100 is in a multi-independent bus state, and when all first switch units 140 are turned on, all independent buses 130 are reconstructed in series into a common bus to switch to the common bus state.

[0110] Specifically, see Figure 9 , the first switch units 140 shown are all connected between two independent buses 130. In this way, all independent buses 130 of the power distribution module 100 are sequentially connected end to end in series through the first switch units 140. When all the first switch units 140 are switched to the on state, all the independent buses 130 form a loop, thereby also being reconstructed into a common bus.

[0111] It is understandable that the independent bus 130 can be constructed as a structure such as a busbar. The busbar can be a metal bar or a group of metal bars connected in parallel. Therefore, all the busbars are connected in parallel or in series to form a loop, which will reconstruct all the busbars into a busbar, that is, all the independent buses are reconstructed into a common bus, so that the distribution module 100 is switched to the common bus state. Of course, the independent bus 130 can also be configured as other busbars such as busbars. The first switch unit 140 is configured as a busbar connection contactor. Of course, the first switch unit 140 can also be configured as a controllable switch, etc., and this embodiment does not limit this.

[0112] Furthermore, since at least two battery modules 200 are located on either side of the fuselage 101, they can each belong to two power distribution modules 100 to facilitate the layout of the power distribution system. Therefore, in one embodiment, the at least two battery modules 200 include multiple battery packs. For example, the battery modules 200 in the left area of ​​the aircraft body belong to one battery pack, while the battery modules 200 in the right area belong to another battery pack. Of course, if there are a large number of propulsion assemblies 300 on a single side of the fuselage, the battery modules 200 on a single side of the fuselage can also belong to multiple battery packs.

[0113] The vertical take-off and landing aircraft also includes at least two power distribution modules 100 and at least two second switch units. The number of power distribution modules 100 is consistent with the number of battery packs and corresponds to each other one-to-one, and the battery modules 200 in the same battery pack are connected to the corresponding tilt rotor unit 320 and the fixed rotor unit 310 through the corresponding power distribution module 100. Each power distribution module 100 is configured to have multiple independent bus states and a common bus state for the entire machine. When the power distribution module 100 is in the multiple independent bus state, the power distribution module 100 has multiple independent buses 130. The number of independent buses 130 is consistent with the number of battery modules 200 connected to the power distribution module 100 and corresponds to each other one-to-one, and each battery module 200 is respectively connected to a part of the battery module 200 through the corresponding independent bus 130. The fixed rotor unit 310 and a part of the tilt-rotor unit 320 are connected; the number of the second switch units is consistent with the number of the independent buses 130, and the independent buses 130 of all the distribution modules 100 can be connected on and off through the second switch units, so that when all the second switch units are disconnected, each distribution module 100 is in a multi-independent bus state, and when all the second switch units are turned on, each distribution module 100 is in a whole-machine common bus state, so that the independent buses 130 of all the distribution modules 100 are connected to each other to reconstruct a whole-machine common bus, at least part of all the battery modules 200 are connected in parallel to the input side of the whole-machine common bus, and all the tilt-rotor units 320 and all the fixed rotor units 310 are connected to the output side of the whole-machine common bus.

[0114] Specifically, see Figure 5 The eVTOL includes a left power distribution module 100a, which is disposed on the left wing 103, and a right power distribution module 100b, which is disposed on the right wing 104. The left power distribution module 100a and the right power distribution module 100b are connected via a jumper cable 400.

[0115] See also Figure 10 and Figure 11 , each independent bus 130 in each power distribution module 100 is suitable for being connected to one of the negative pole and the positive pole of the corresponding motor winding, and each power distribution module 100 also includes a connection unit 150, and the connection unit 150 is connected to the connection units 150 of other power distribution modules 100, and the connection unit 150 is suitable for being connected to the other of the negative pole and the positive pole of each motor winding corresponding to the power distribution module 100. The following is an example of the connection between the independent bus 130 and the positive pole of the load (motor winding). Of course, the independent bus 130 can also be connected to the negative pole of the load, which is not described here. The independent buses 130 of all power distribution modules 100 are connected in a switchable manner through the second switch unit, so that the connection reconstruction of all independent buses 130 is achieved by turning on the second switch unit.

[0116] As an option of this embodiment, the independent bus 130 of each power distribution module 100 is connected in series with a second switch unit, and all the second switch units are connected in parallel with each other. Figure 10 The left power distribution module 100a includes a first independent bus 130a and a third independent bus 130c, while the right power distribution module 100b includes a second independent bus 130b and a fourth independent bus 130d. The positive terminal of each input interface 110 is connected to the corresponding independent bus 130. Each independent bus 130 is in turn connected to the positive terminal of the corresponding output interface 120. The first independent bus 130a is connected to the second connection line 401 of the jumper cable 400 via switch unit BTC1, the third independent bus is connected to the switch unit BTC3, the second independent bus 130b is connected to the switch unit BTC2, and the fourth independent bus 130d is connected to the switch unit BTC4.

[0117] The left power distribution module 100a also includes a connection unit 150, which is connected to the negative terminals of each input interface 110 and the negative terminals of each output interface 120. Furthermore, the connection unit 150 includes an external connection interface adapted to connect to the external connection interface of the connection unit of the right power distribution module 100b via the first connection line 402 of the jumper cable 400. Of course, in some embodiments, the connection unit 150 of the left power distribution module 100a and the connection unit of the right power distribution module 100b are different parts of the same connection unit, thereby reducing the number of components and weight.

[0118] When all second switch units of all power distribution modules 100 are connected in parallel, all independent buses 130 of the multiple power distribution modules 100 are reconstructed into a common bus for the entire machine. It is understandable that after being reconstructed into a common bus for the entire machine, the input interface 110 of each battery module 200 of each power distribution module 100 is respectively connected to the input side of the common bus for the entire machine, that is, the battery modules 200 with normal power supply are connected to the common bus for the entire machine, while the battery modules 200 with abnormal power supply are not connected. At the same time, all motor windings connected to the multiple power distribution modules 100 are connected to the output side of the common bus for the entire machine. Similarly, the motor windings here are motor windings that can operate normally, and the faulty motor windings cannot be connected to the common bus for the entire machine.

[0119] As another option of this embodiment, two adjacent independent buses 130 in the same power distribution module 100 are connected to each other through a second switch unit. In the two adjacent power distribution modules 100, the last independent bus 130 of one power distribution module 100 is connected to the first independent bus 130 of the other power distribution module 100 through a second switch unit, and the first independent bus 130 of the first power distribution module 100 is connected to the last independent bus 130 of the last power distribution module 100 through a second switch unit. Figure 11 The first independent bus 130a is connected to the third independent bus 130c via switch unit BTC1, the second independent bus 130b is connected to the fourth independent bus 130d via switch unit BTC2, the third independent bus 130c is connected to the second independent bus 130b via switch unit BTC4, and the first independent bus 130a is connected to the fourth independent bus 130d via switch unit BTC3, thereby forming a loop with the four independent buses 130 connected end to end. Therefore, if any battery module 200 in the fuselage 101 experiences a power supply anomaly, the power grid can be reorganized by synchronously switching the left and right power distribution modules 100a, 100b, so that the remaining three battery modules 200 in the fuselage 101 can provide power to all loads, such as the motor windings, on the eVTOL.

[0120] Therefore, in this embodiment, when the second switch units of all power distribution modules 100 on the eVTOL are turned on, all independent buses 130 on the eVTOL can be connected to each other to reconstruct into a common bus for the entire machine. After reconstructing into a common bus for the entire machine, all normally functioning battery modules 200 on the eVTOL are connected to the input side of the common bus for the entire machine via their respective input interfaces 110, and all normally functioning onboard loads such as the propulsion assembly 300 are connected to the output side of the common bus for the entire machine via the output interface 120.

[0121] It is not difficult to see that this embodiment is not limited to power grid reorganization within a single power distribution module 100, but also includes power grid reorganization between multiple power distribution modules 100 on an eVTOL. It is understandable that for an eVTOL, multiple battery modules 200 can be distributed in different locations on the fuselage 101, such as symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the fuselage 101, and coordinated with different power distribution modules 100. If a battery module 200 on any side experiences power supply anomalies, such as a single-sided impact or other incident that causes a battery module 200 failure on that side, multiple or all power distribution modules 100 on the fuselage can be reconfigured, and power can be supplied by power distribution modules 100 located elsewhere on the fuselage, further improving safety redundancy.

[0122] As is easy to understand, if any battery module 200 fails while the eVTOL is in the vertical takeoff and landing phase, all eight propulsion assemblies 300 are operating, and the four motor windings connected to that battery module 200 are shut down. The remaining motor windings must increase power to maintain the required lift of the eVTOL, resulting in uneven discharge among the remaining three battery modules. If operation continues in this state, the charge in one of the battery modules 200 will rapidly decrease, causing the voltage to continue to drop. In the worst case, the battery may discharge to the cutoff voltage, or even thermal runaway due to prolonged high-rate discharge.

[0123] After the grid is reorganized, the remaining three battery modules 200 are connected in parallel to the input side of the common bus of the entire system to provide power together, which has the following advantages:

[0124] 1. Balance the current burden of the remaining battery modules 200 and extend the power supply time: If the weight of the entire aircraft remains unchanged, the required electrical power for the entire aircraft to achieve flight is certain. Assuming the total current required at this time is I, and ignoring the slight differences due to the previous oblique symmetry, the output current of each battery module is now I / 4. If the first battery module 201 fails, the current required to be output by the fourth battery module 204 will increase from I / 4 to I / 2. If the rated current limit of each battery module 200 is Imax, it may exceed its safe range and cause overheating or damage. If the remaining second battery module 202, third battery module 203, and fourth battery module 204 are connected in parallel, the current required to be output by each battery module 200 is I / 3, which can reduce the current burden of the fourth battery module 204 and avoid the risk of overload.

[0125] 2. Maintain voltage stability: Before parallel connection, the remaining three battery modules 200 independently output different currents. When the original power levels are the same, the voltage of one of the battery modules 200 will drop faster than the other two battery modules 200. After the remaining battery modules 200 are connected in parallel, the voltages of the remaining three battery modules 200 can be forced to converge. Before the actual parallel connection, the voltages of the remaining three battery modules 200 are always inconsistent. During the parallel connection process, the rear-end load does not stop working. After the parallel connection, the battery module 200 with a higher voltage will output a larger current (the batteries here will not balance each other because the power required by the rear-end load is much greater than the power difference between the battery modules 200, so the general trend is to output outward). Soon, the voltages between the three battery modules 200 will converge. For the entire system, voltage stability can be maintained, voltage fluctuations are smaller, and fault tolerance is higher, thereby improving the stability of the entire system.

[0126] 3. Improve system stability, system redundancy and fault tolerance: For the entire system, voltage stability can be maintained, voltage fluctuations are smaller, and fault tolerance is higher, thereby improving the stability of the entire system. In addition, after the grid reorganization allows the remaining battery modules 200 to be connected in parallel, if one of the remaining three battery modules 200 continues to fail due to a fault, the remaining two battery modules 200 can still continue to supply power by sharing the load. Compared to the possibility that a single propulsion component 300 will completely lose power and stop working when powered independently, the control difficulty is reduced at the overall control level, and the design parameter requirements for the battery module 200 and the propulsion component 300 are also reduced. In addition, during the grid reorganization, that is, the switching process of the distribution module 100, the battery modules 200 will be energized and connected in parallel one by one. When the consistency of the multiple battery modules 200 is good, the voltage difference between the multiple battery modules 200 is relatively low. During the connection process of the parallel contactor, the voltage difference across the main contacts of the contactor is low (an arc will be generated when the voltage difference is high and the voltage is high), which can effectively reduce the secondary safety risks brought about by the grid reorganization after a fault.

[0127] 4. Optimize energy utilization: After the battery modules 200 are connected in parallel, the equivalent total internal resistance of the system is reduced, the power loss is reduced, and more energy is used to propel the components 300 rather than generate heat. The battery modules 200 can work in a more relaxed state, avoiding shortening of life due to high current.

[0128] The above are merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention's description and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields within the technical concept of the present invention are included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vertical take-off and landing aircraft, characterized in that: include: Aircraft body; at least two fixed rotor units and at least two tilt-rotor units, wherein the fixed rotor units and the tilt-rotor units are both disposed on the aircraft body, the tilt-rotor units being configured to switch between a cruise position and a vertical take-off and landing position, and the fixed rotor units being shut down or entering a low-power consumption mode when the tilt-rotor units are in the cruise position; and At least two battery modules, each of which is disposed on the aircraft body, and each of which has a consistent battery capacity. Each of the battery modules is connected to a portion of the fixed rotor units and a portion of the tilt-rotor units, and all of the battery modules are connected to a consistent number of fixed rotor units and a consistent number of tilt-rotor units. The vertical take-off and landing aircraft further includes a power distribution module, at least some of the battery modules are connected to the corresponding tilt-rotor unit or the fixed-rotor unit through the power distribution module, and the power distribution module is configured to have multiple independent bus states and a common bus state; When the power distribution module is in a multi-independent bus state, the power distribution module has a plurality of independent buses, the number of the independent buses is consistent with the number of the battery modules connected to the power distribution module and corresponds one to one to each other, and each battery module is connected to a portion of the fixed rotor units and a portion of the tilt rotor units through the corresponding independent bus; When the power distribution module is in a common bus state, the power distribution module has a common bus, at least part of all the battery modules connected to the power distribution module are connected in parallel to the input side of the common bus, and all the fixed rotor units and the tilt rotor units connected to the power distribution module are connected to the output side of the common bus; wherein, the power distribution module reconstructs all the independent buses into the common bus.

2. The vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 1, characterized in that: Of the at least two fixed rotor units, 2N fixed rotor units are symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides of the fuselage of the aircraft body and arranged near the head of the fuselage, and 2N fixed rotor units are symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides of the fuselage and arranged near the tail of the fuselage; N is a natural number greater than or equal to 1; Of the at least two tilt-rotor units, 2M tilt-rotor units are symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides of the fuselage and arranged near the head of the fuselage, and 2M tilt-rotor units are symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides of the fuselage and arranged near the tail of the fuselage; M is a natural number greater than or equal to 1; Among them, all the fixed rotor units connected to the same battery module are grouped in pairs, and the fixed rotor units in the same group are centrally symmetrical; all the tilt rotor units connected to the same battery module are grouped in pairs, and the tilt rotor units in the same group are centrally symmetrical.

3. The vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 2, characterized in that: When the vertical take-off and landing aircraft is in the vertical take-off and landing stage, the projections of the propellers of the tilt-rotor units in the same group on the horizontal plane are centrally symmetrical; and / or When the vertical take-off and landing aircraft is in a vertical take-off and landing phase, the projections of the propellers of the fixed rotor units in the same group on a horizontal plane are centrally symmetrical; The symmetry centers of the propellers of the same group of tilt-rotor units and the symmetry centers of the propellers of the same group of fixed-rotor units are both located within the symmetry plane of the fuselage of the aircraft body.

4. The vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 3, characterized in that: On either side of the left or right side of the fuselage, any one of the fixed rotor units is located on a side of any one of the tilt rotor units that is away from the central axis of the aircraft body.

5. The vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 4, characterized in that: The at least two tilt-rotor units include a first tilt-rotor unit, a second tilt-rotor unit, a third tilt-rotor unit, and a fourth tilt-rotor unit, wherein the first tilt-rotor unit is provided on the left wing of the aircraft body and is located on the fuselage head side of the left wing, the second tilt-rotor unit is provided on the right wing of the aircraft body and is located on the fuselage head side of the right wing, the third tilt-rotor unit is provided on the left stabilizer surface of the tail wing of the aircraft body, and the fourth tilt-rotor unit is provided on the right stabilizer surface of the tail wing; The at least two fixed rotor units include a first fixed rotor unit, a second fixed rotor unit, a third fixed rotor unit and a fourth fixed rotor unit. The first fixed rotor unit is arranged on the head side of the fuselage of the left wing, the second fixed rotor unit is arranged on the head side of the fuselage of the right wing, the third fixed rotor unit is arranged on the tail side of the fuselage of the left wing, and the fourth fixed rotor unit is arranged on the tail side of the fuselage of the right wing.

6. The vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 5, characterized in that: The at least two battery modules include: a first battery module connected to the first fixed rotor unit, the first tilt-rotor unit, the fourth fixed rotor unit, and the fourth tilt-rotor unit; a second battery module connected to the second fixed rotor unit, the second tilt-rotor unit, the third fixed rotor unit, and the third tilt-rotor unit; a third battery module, wherein the third battery module is connected to the second fixed rotor unit, the second tilt-rotor unit, the third fixed rotor unit, and the third tilt-rotor unit, or the third battery module is connected to the first fixed rotor unit, the second tilt-rotor unit, the third tilt-rotor unit, and the fourth fixed rotor unit; A fourth battery module, the fourth battery module is connected to the first fixed rotor unit, the first tilt-rotor unit, the fourth fixed rotor unit and the fourth tilt-rotor unit, or the fourth battery module is connected to the first tilt-rotor unit, the second fixed rotor unit, the third fixed rotor unit and the fourth tilt-rotor unit.

7. The vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 6, characterized in that: The left wing is provided with a left arm, and the first tilt-rotor unit is connected to the left wing via the left arm; the right wing is provided with a right arm, and the second tilt-rotor unit is connected to the right wing via the right arm; Among them, the first battery module is arranged on the left arm, and the second battery module is symmetrically arranged on the right arm; the third battery module is arranged on the left wing, and the fourth battery module is symmetrically arranged on the right wing.

8. The vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the fixed rotor unit and the tilt rotor unit includes at least two motor controllers, and different motor controllers of each fixed rotor unit or tilt rotor unit are respectively connected to different battery modules; Wherein, each of the fixed rotor unit and the tilt rotor unit includes at least two single-winding motors, and each of the single-winding motors is respectively connected to a motor controller; or, each of the fixed rotor unit and the tilt rotor unit includes a motor, the motor includes at least two motor windings, and each of the motor windings is respectively connected to a motor controller.

9. The vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 1, wherein: The power distribution module is configured to switch from the multiple independent bus states to the common bus state when it is detected that a circuit parameter of at least one of the independent buses is less than a warning value and is not a short circuit fault.

10. The vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 1, wherein: The power distribution module includes at least two first switch units, and the number of the first switch units is consistent with the number of the independent buses; In which, the first switch units correspond to the independent buses one by one, all the first switch units are connected in parallel to each other, and each of the first switch units is connected in series with the corresponding independent bus so that when all the first switch units are disconnected, the power distribution module is in a multi-independent bus state, and when all the first switch units are turned on, all the independent buses are reconstructed in parallel into a common bus to switch to the common bus state; or, all the independent buses of the power distribution module are connected end to end in sequence, and a first switch unit is arranged between adjacent independent buses, so that when all the first switch units are disconnected, the power distribution module is in a multi-independent bus state, and when all the first switch units are turned on, all the independent buses are reconstructed in series into a common bus to switch to the common bus state.

11. The vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 1, wherein: At least two of the battery modules include a plurality of battery packs; The vertical take-off and landing aircraft includes at least two power distribution modules, the number of the power distribution modules is consistent with the number of the battery packs and corresponds one-to-one to each other, and the battery modules in the same battery pack are connected to the corresponding tilt-rotor unit and the fixed-rotor unit through the corresponding power distribution module, and each of the power distribution modules is configured to also have a common bus state for the entire aircraft; The vertical take-off and landing aircraft also includes at least two second switch units, the number of the second switch units is consistent with the number of the independent buses, and the independent buses of all the power distribution modules can be connected on and off through the second switch units, so that when all the second switch units are disconnected, each of the power distribution modules is in the multiple independent bus state, and when all the second switch units are turned on, each of the power distribution modules is in the whole machine common bus state, so that the independent buses of all the power distribution modules are connected to each other and reconstructed into a whole machine common bus, at least part of all the battery modules are connected in parallel to the input side of the whole machine common bus, and all the tilt rotor units and all the fixed rotor units are connected to the output side of the whole machine common bus.

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