Distributed powered ground effect vehicle and method of controlling the same

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of aircraft control, and discloses a distributed power ground effect aircraft convenient to control and a control method thereof; the present application replaces traditional rudder control with a distributed power system, realizes full-range efficient control from static to high speed, and directly generates multi-dimensional control torque through power difference by adopting independent control of positive and negative rotors in cooperation with differential adjustment, so that not only the failure defect of traditional rudder at low speed stage is completely eliminated, but also precise attitude adjustment and in-place turning are completed at zero airspeed, and the response capability of the aircraft in a complex environment is improved; in combination with air cushion effect optimization design, directional airflow of front and rear rotors forms a stable air cushion in combination with a skid structure, low-speed maneuverability is improved, a body-level turning radius is realized, and the risk of touching water is avoided. The distributed architecture simplifies the mechanical system, relies on pure electric driving, seamlessly integrates short take-off and landing, cruising and landing processes, reduces energy consumption, and enhances adaptability in narrow water areas.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aircraft control technology, specifically to a distributed powered ground effect vehicle that is easy to operate and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] Ground effect vehicles (GEVs) are special vehicles that utilize the ground effect (the phenomenon where airflow is obstructed under the wings of an aircraft when it flies close to the water or ground, resulting in a significant increase in lift and a decrease in drag) to achieve efficient flight. They combine the characteristics of aircraft and ships, can cruise at high speeds at altitudes several meters close to the water surface, and have the advantages of both high payload capacity and low energy consumption.

[0003] Currently, traditional ground effect vehicles and aircraft generally rely on control surfaces (such as rudders and elevators) for flight attitude control. Control surfaces generate aerodynamic torques by deflecting airflow, thereby adjusting the aircraft's pitch, roll, and yaw. However, the effectiveness of control surfaces is strongly positively correlated with airspeed: the higher the airspeed, the more significant the control effect; conversely, at airspeeds below 20 km / h, the control surfaces are almost ineffective. This characteristic leads to the following technical drawbacks:

[0004] Extremely poor maneuverability at low speeds: During takeoff, landing and low-speed flight, the control surfaces cannot provide effective control torque, making the aircraft prone to instability or even loss of control. This forces traditional ground effect vehicles to maintain a high airspeed to ensure safety, greatly limiting takeoff and landing conditions and low-speed maneuverability.

[0005] The contradiction between high speed and maneuverability: In order to improve the rudder effect, the aircraft needs to maintain high speed, but high speed leads to increased inertia of the airframe, a significant increase in the turning radius (usually hundreds of meters), and severely limited maneuverability, making it difficult to adapt to complex waters or emergency obstacle avoidance needs.

[0006] Excessive takeoff and landing distance: Traditional ground effect vehicles need to accumulate sufficient airspeed by gliding over a long distance on the water surface to generate lift, which results in demanding requirements for takeoff and landing sites, as well as high energy consumption and high risk during the gliding phase;

[0007] Turning safety hazards: Under control surface, when a ground effect vehicle turns, the lift of the outer wing increases due to sideslip, while the lift of the inner wing decreases, causing the height of the inner wing above the water surface to drop sharply, or even touch the water surface and cause a rollover accident, which seriously threatens flight safety.

[0008] To address the aforementioned issues, existing technologies have attempted improvements by optimizing control surface shape, adding auxiliary thrusters, or introducing thrust vectoring. However, none of these methods have overcome the fundamental limitation of "control surface dependence," failing to simultaneously solve problems such as poor low-speed maneuverability, low maneuverability, and insufficient safety. Therefore, a novel control architecture is urgently needed to overcome the physical limitations of traditional control surface control and achieve efficient and safe ground effect flight across the entire speed range. To this end, a distributed-powered ground effect vehicle and its control method that are easy to control are proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0009] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides an easily operable distributed powered ground effect vehicle and its control method to solve the problems in the background technology.

[0010] Firstly, to achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a easily controllable distributed powered ground effect vehicle, comprising:

[0011] The fuselage, the front wings located on both sides of the front end of the fuselage, and the rear wings located on both sides of the rear end of the fuselage, with the front sides of the front wings and the rear wings both being raised and tilted.

[0012] Skids, located at the outer ends of the front and rear wings, are used to block the spread of airflow;

[0013] The front power unit, mounted at the front of the fuselage, includes two front rotors configured with opposing rotors, the front rotors being tilted upwards at an angle of 10° to 30° relative to the horizontal and tilted outwards at an angle of 1° to 5°.

[0014] The rear power unit, mounted at the rear of the fuselage, includes two rear rotors configured with opposing rotors, the rear rotors being tilted downwards at an angle of 1° to 8° relative to the horizontal and tilted outwards at an angle of 1° to 5°.

[0015] The front and rear power units are purely electric driven, and each front and rear rotor is independently controlled. The aircraft's maneuverability is achieved by adjusting the speed difference between the rotors.

[0016] Preferably, it also includes winglets, installed on the upper end of the outer skid of the rear wing, to reduce wingtip vortices generated during flight.

[0017] Preferably, the front end of the fuselage has a rearward-sloping guide surface to reduce air resistance during the ascent phase.

[0018] Preferably, the front bottom of the fuselage has at least two stepped surfaces, which are distributed longitudinally along the fuselage to reduce the contact area between the aircraft and water when gliding on the water surface.

[0019] Preferably, the airflow generated by the two counter-rotating front rotors is used to suppress wingtip vortices and reduce induced drag, while increasing the lift coefficient of the front wing.

[0020] Preferably, the rear rotor is located vertically to the trailing edge of the rear wing. When the rear rotor generates thrust, it will generate negative pressure in the wing area in front of the rear rotor to increase the lift of the rear wing.

[0021] Secondly, a control method for a ground effect vehicle, based on the easily controllable distributed-powered ground effect vehicle described in the first aspect, includes the following steps:

[0022] Takeoff phase: The front and rear power units are activated, and the airflow generated by the front rotor covers the area under the front and rear wings to form a suspension cushion. By adjusting the speed of the two front rotors and the two rear rotors in opposite directions, wing vortices are suppressed and the fuselage attitude is balanced. With the thrust of the rear rotor, the aircraft can take off from the water in place.

[0023] Cruise phase: Gradually shut down the nose rotor while keeping the rear rotor running at a constant speed. The rear rotor uses airflow to create a larger low-pressure area above the rear wing, increasing the lift coefficient of the rear wing to improve flight efficiency and suppress the risk of pitch-up stall.

[0024] Turning control: Increase the power output of the front and rear rotors on the outside of the turning direction, while reducing the rotational speed of the front and rear rotors on the inside of the turning direction to create power differential; if the fuselage tilt angle is too large, simultaneously increase the lift-enhancing power of the front rotor on the inside of the turning direction to maintain the wing's hovering height; block the diffusion of the outer airflow by using skids, concentrate the airflow under the outer wing, and reduce the turning radius to 1-2 times the fuselage length;

[0025] Landing phase: Gradually reduce the rear rotor speed while increasing the front rotor speed. Utilize the upward component of the front rotor to generate air cushion lift, reduce airspeed, and then control the rear rotor to rotate in the opposite direction to generate reverse thrust, achieving zero airspeed water surface engagement.

[0026] Preferably, during emergency obstacle avoidance, the lift-enhancing power output of the nose rotor is briefly increased to rapidly increase the flight altitude.

[0027] Preferably, pitch, roll, and yaw control of the aircraft is achieved by adjusting the speed difference, thrust direction, and tilt angle of a single front rotor and rear rotor.

[0028] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0029] This invention replaces traditional control surfaces with a distributed propulsion system, solving the problem of ground effect vehicles' strong dependence on airspeed and achieving efficient all-domain control from standstill to high speed. The distributed propulsion system employs independently controlled co-rotor differential adjustment, directly generating multi-dimensional control torque through power difference. This not only completely eliminates the failure defects of traditional control surfaces at low speeds but also enables precise attitude adjustment and on-the-spot turning at zero airspeed, improving the vehicle's responsiveness in complex environments. Combined with an optimized air cushion effect design, the directional airflow of the front and rear rotors, combined with the skid structure, forms a stable air cushion, improving low-speed maneuverability, achieving a fuselage-level turning radius, and avoiding the risk of water contact. The distributed architecture simplifies the mechanical system, relying on pure electric drive to seamlessly integrate short takeoff and landing, cruise, and landing processes, reducing energy consumption and enhancing adaptability to narrow waterways.

[0030] Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the structures pointed out in the description, claims and drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a top view of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a bottom view of the fuselage structure of the present invention.

[0034] In the diagram: 1. Fuselage; 2. Forward wing; 3. Rear wing; 4. Skid; 5. Forward power unit; 51. Forward rotor; 6. Rear power unit; 61. Rear rotor; 7. Winglet; 8. Guide surface; 9. Stepped surface. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] Example 1: Please refer to Figure 1-3 The present invention provides an easily controllable distributed powered ground effect vehicle, comprising the following components:

[0037] Fuselage 1: It adopts a streamlined design with a rearward-sloping guide surface 8 at the front end to reduce air resistance during the ascent phase, and the rear end tapers to reduce air resistance; the bottom of the front end of fuselage 1 has no less than two stepped surfaces 9, which are distributed longitudinally along fuselage 1 to reduce the contact area between the aircraft and water when gliding on the water surface.

[0038] The front wing 2 and the rear wing 3 are symmetrically distributed on the front and rear sides of the fuselage 1, respectively. The front sides of the front wing 2 and the rear wing 3 are both tilted upward to form an angle of attack of 1°-15° to optimize the lift distribution under the ground effect.

[0039] Skid 4: The edge is an arc-shaped plate structure to reduce wind resistance. It is installed on the outer end of the front wing 2 and the rear wing 3 to block the airflow from spreading to both sides and concentrate the airflow under the wing to enhance the air cushion effect.

[0040] The front power assembly 5 includes two large-diameter counter-rotor configurations of front rotors 51, symmetrically mounted on both sides of the front end of the fuselage 1; the plane of rotation of the front rotor 51 is tilted upward at 20° relative to the horizontal direction (in the range of 10°-30°) and tilted outward at 3° (in the range of 1°-5°). The airflow generated by its counter-rotor configuration can suppress wingtip vortices and reduce induced drag, thereby increasing the lift coefficient of the front wing 2.

[0041] Rear power assembly 6: includes two counter-rotor rear rotors 61, symmetrically mounted at the rear end of the fuselage 1 and perpendicular to the trailing edge of the rear wing 3. The plane of rotation is tilted downward at 5° relative to the horizontal direction (within the range of 1°-8°) and tilted outward at 2° (within the range of 1°-5°). When the rear rotor 61 generates thrust backward during operation, its propeller thrust generates negative pressure in the area of ​​the rear wing 3 in front of the rear rotor 61, thereby increasing the lift of the rear wing 3.

[0042] Pure electric drive system: Both the front power unit 5 and the rear power unit 6 are driven by high-power motors. Each front rotor 51 and rear rotor 61 is independently controlled, forming a distributed power system. The aircraft's maneuverability is achieved by adjusting the speed difference between each rotor.

[0043] Winglet 7: such as Figure 1 As shown, the winglet, which extends vertically upward and is installed on the upper surface of the skid 4 at the outer end of the rear wing 3, is used to reduce the wingtip vortex generated during flight.

[0044] Example 2: Based on Example 1, this example proposes a control method for a ground effect vehicle, specifically including:

[0045] 1. Takeoff phase

[0046] Air cushion formation:

[0047] Simultaneously activate the front power assembly 5 and the rear power assembly 6, so that both front rotors 51 and both rear rotors 61 start running.

[0048] The upward tilt of the front rotor 51 (10°-30°) and its configuration with the counter-rotors generate vertical lift and horizontal thrust components. The high-speed rotation of the front rotor 51 directs the airflow under the front wing 2 and the rear wing 3, which superimposes with the airflow reflected from the water surface to form a high-pressure air cushion.

[0049] Differential speed adjustment and attitude balance of rotors (both positive and negative):

[0050] By adjusting the differential speed of the two front rotors 51 and the two rear rotors 61, wing vortices are suppressed and the attitude of fuselage 1 is balanced, for example, when fuselage 1 shifts to the left:

[0051] The left front rotor 51 increases speed by 5%, while the right front rotor 51 decreases speed by 5%. At the same time, the left rear rotor 61 increases speed by 3%, while the right rear rotor 61 decreases speed by 3%, to balance the tilt of the fuselage 1 caused by crosswinds or uneven load.

[0052] Thrust coordination and water separation:

[0053] The front rotor 51 and the rear rotor 61 start simultaneously to provide thrust to the aircraft and overcome water surface drag.

[0054] When the rear rotor 61 generates thrust, it will generate negative pressure in the area of ​​the rear wing 3 in front of the rear rotor 61, which will increase the lift of the rear wing 3 and improve the cruise lift efficiency.

[0055] 2. Cruise Phase

[0056] Power switching and efficiency optimization:

[0057] Gradually shut down the front rotor 51, while the rear rotor 61 maintains a constant speed.

[0058] The rear rotor 61 utilizes airflow to generate a larger low-pressure area above the rear wing 3, thereby increasing the lift coefficient of the rear wing 3, suppressing the safety issues of the ground effect vehicle's nose-up stall due to airflow disturbances, generating a nose-down moment, and maintaining the propulsion efficiency of the ground effect vehicle solely through the rear rotor 61 is also higher.

[0059] The rear rotor maintains directional stability with a 61-speed differential.

[0060] Based on the real-time airspeed, adjust the rotational speeds of the left and right rear rotors 61 to counteract the directional oscillations caused by airflow disturbances.

[0061] 3. Turning control

[0062] Differential thrust generates yaw moment:

[0063] When turning left, the right front rotor 51 accelerates and the right rear rotor 61 accelerates; the left front rotor 51 decelerates and the left rear rotor 61 decelerates, creating a yaw moment.

[0064] The outer power increases thrust, while the inner power decreases thrust, and the yaw moment causes the fuselage to turn.

[0065] Air cushion reinforcement and radius control:

[0066] The outer skid 4 blocks the lateral dissipation of airflow, causing the air cushion pressure under the outer front wing 2 and rear wing 3 to increase.

[0067] The asymmetrical distribution of lift generates a lateral force component, which, together with the yaw moment, reduces the turning radius to 1-2 times the length of the fuselage.

[0068] Tilt compensation and safety protection:

[0069] If the tilt angle of fuselage 1 is too large, increase the rotation speed of the inner front rotor 51 to increase the lift of the ground effect vehicle and maintain the wing's hovering height.

[0070] 4. Landing Phase

[0071] The front rotor 51 increases speed and enhances the suspension air cushion:

[0072] The rotational speed of the rear rotor 61 is gradually reduced, while the rotational speed of the front rotor 51 is increased. The vertical component of the force generated by the tilt angle of the front rotor 51 counteracts the inertia of the ground effect vehicle.

[0073] Rear rotor 61 reverse thrust braking:

[0074] Once the airspeed of the ground effect vehicle drops to the threshold, the rear rotor 61 switches to reverse rotation, and the blades reverse the airflow to generate a force opposite to the forward direction. The airspeed of the ground effect vehicle returns to zero in a short time and it touches the water.

[0075] Upon contact with water, all power is shut off. The ground effect vehicle makes contact with the water surface and maintains stability using the buoyancy of fuselage 1, front wing 2, rear wing 3, and skid 4.

[0076] 5. Emergency obstacle avoidance and attitude control

[0077] Emergency obstacle avoidance:

[0078] The nose rotor 51 instantly increases the lift output, and combined with its tilt angle, it causes the lift vector to deflect rapidly upward, raising the front of the fuselage 1 and enabling an emergency climb.

[0079] After the front of the fuselage 1 is raised to a sufficient height, the speed of the front rotor 51 is reduced, and the power output of the rear rotor 61 is increased to increase the thrust, so that the ground effect vehicle can pass over the obstacle in a front-raised position.

[0080] The rotational speed of the front rotor 51 is reduced to prevent the ground effect vehicle from increasing the lifting angle of the front of the fuselage 1 when flying at an angle, which could lead to a rollover.

[0081] Summary of Implementation Examples:

[0082] Implementation Examples 1 and 2 are based on a distributed propulsion architecture. Through a multi-rotor system with independently configured front and rear wings and differential collaborative control, efficient control of the ground effect vehicle is achieved. The distributed propulsion components (front rotor 51 / rear rotor 61) independently adjust the speed difference to collaboratively generate a levitation air cushion and dynamically balance the attitude. During takeoff, stable lift is generated through the linkage of front and rear propulsion. During cruise, energy consumption is optimized by relying on the rear propulsion. During turns, the differential propulsion of the inner and outer sides is combined with the air cushion of the skid 4 to enhance maneuverability. During landing, the front and rear propulsion work in opposite directions to achieve precise water contact at zero airspeed. The scheme, with the distributed propulsion layout as the core, solves the problems of poor low-airspeed maneuverability and complex structure of traditional ground effect vehicles, and has both high responsiveness and safety.

Claims

1. A controllable distributed-powered ground effect vehicle, characterized in that the vehicle... include: The fuselage (1), the front wings (2) located on both sides of the front end of the fuselage (1) and the rear wings (3) located on both sides of the rear end of the fuselage (1), the front sides of the front wings (2) and the rear wings (3) are both tilted upwards; Skids (4) are located at the outer ends of the front wing (2) and the rear wing (3) to block the spread of airflow; The front power assembly (5) is installed at the front of the fuselage (1) and includes two front rotors (51) configured with opposing rotors. The installation angle of the front rotors (51) is 10° to 30° upward relative to the horizontal direction and 1° to 5° outward. The rear power assembly (6) is installed at the rear end of the fuselage (1) and includes two rear rotors (61) configured with opposing rotors. The installation angle of the rear rotors (61) is 1° to 8° downward relative to the horizontal direction and 1° to 5° outward. The front power assembly (5) and the rear power assembly (6) are driven by pure electricity, and each front rotor (51) and rear rotor (61) is controlled independently. The maneuver control of the aircraft is achieved by adjusting the speed difference of each rotor.

2. The easily controllable distributed powered ground effect vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes winglets (7), which are installed on the upper end of the skid (4) at the outer end of the rear wing (3) to reduce wingtip vortices generated during flight.

3. The easily controllable distributed powered ground effect vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front end of the fuselage (1) is provided with a rearward inclined guide surface (8) to reduce air resistance during the ascent phase.

4. The easily controllable distributed powered ground effect vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fuselage (1) has at least two stepped surfaces (9) at the bottom front end. The stepped surfaces (9) are distributed longitudinally along the fuselage (1) to reduce the contact area between the aircraft and water when the aircraft is gliding on the water surface.

5. A easily controllable distributed-powered ground effect vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The airflow generated by the two counter-rotating front rotors (51) is used to suppress wingtip vortices and reduce induced drag, while increasing the lift coefficient of the front wing (2).

6. The easily controllable distributed powered ground effect vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rear rotor (61) is located vertically to the trailing edge of the rear wing (3). When the rear rotor (61) generates thrust, it will generate negative pressure in the wing area in front of the rear rotor (61) to increase the lift of the rear wing (3).

7. A control method for a ground effect vehicle, characterized in that, Based on the easily controllable distributed-powered ground effect vehicle according to any one of claims 1-6, the control method of the ground effect vehicle includes the following steps: Takeoff phase: The front power assembly (5) and the rear power assembly (6) are activated. The airflow generated by the front rotor (51) covers the area below the front wing (2) and the rear wing (3) to form a suspension air cushion. By adjusting the speed of the two front rotors (51) and the two rear rotors (61), the wing vortex is suppressed and the attitude of the fuselage (1) is balanced. With the thrust of the rear rotor (61), the aircraft can take off from the water in place. Cruise phase: The front rotor (51) is gradually shut down, while the rear rotor (61) is kept running at a constant speed. The rear rotor (61) uses airflow to generate a larger low-pressure area above the rear wing (3), thereby increasing the lift coefficient of the rear wing (3) to improve flight efficiency and suppress the risk of pitch-up stall. Turning control: Increase the power output of the front rotor (51) and rear rotor (61) on the outside of the turning direction, while reducing the rotation speed of the front rotor (51) and rear rotor (61) on the inside of the turning direction to form a power differential; if the fuselage (1) tilts too much, simultaneously increase the lift power of the front rotor (51) on the inside of the turning direction to maintain the wing's hovering height; block the diffusion of the outside airflow by using the skid (4), concentrate the airflow under the outside wing, and reduce the turning radius to 1-2 times the length of the fuselage (1); Landing phase: Gradually reduce the speed of the rear rotor (61) while increasing the speed of the front rotor (51). Utilize the upward component of the front rotor (51) to generate air cushion lift, reduce airspeed, and then control the rear rotor (61) to rotate in the opposite direction to generate reverse thrust, achieving zero airspeed water surface engagement.

8. The control method for a ground effect vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that, During emergency obstacle avoidance, the lift output of the front rotor (51) is briefly increased to quickly increase the flight altitude.

9. The control method for a ground effect vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that, The pitch, roll and yaw control of the aircraft can be achieved by adjusting the speed difference, thrust direction and tilt angle of a single front rotor (51) and rear rotor (61).

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