tailless tandem wing with ducted propeller / blower

Abstract

Aircraft characterized in that it has a tailless configuration with a central fuselage pylon as a payload carrier, which connects two backward and vertically staggered wings with integrated ducted propellers / blowers, wherein the wing staggering has an angle of 45° (+ / -10°) to the vertical tilted backwards, thereby generating the maximum possible wing area with minimal dimensions.

Description

1. Title: tailless tandem wing with ducted propeller / blower.

[0001] 2. Category: Aircraft, manned or unmanned.

[0002] 3. Purpose: To create a safe, quiet, highly agile, efficient and economically viable aircraft that can be operated either unmanned or manned and can take off and land almost vertically from a minimal ground area, but has wing-based lift during cruise flight.

[0003] 4. State of the Art: The tailless tandem wing was invented and patented by Alexander Lippisch in the early 1930s. Since no suitable control and propulsion technology was available at the time, the concept was never practically implemented. Lippisch then had access to a ducted fan / fan in the 1950s, during which time he invented and built a prototype of a corresponding vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, although he only used a single fan. The technology of that era did not allow for combining VTOL flight and tandem wing design. Modern tandem wings designed for VTOL use open propellers for propulsion. Other modern VTOL aircraft tilt the ducted fans / fans without manipulating the airflow on the upper surface of the wing.The individual components of the aircraft described here have been known for a long time, but the novel combination and the use of state-of-the-art ducted fans / blowers create a novel aircraft with completely new flight characteristics and usage profile.

[0004] 5. Critique of the state of the art: In current tandem-wing vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft that use ducted fans / blowers, the pressure distribution is not manipulated in isolation on the upper surface of the wing profile, but rather either the entire airflow around the wing or just the air jet is deflected. Furthermore, no current project focuses on maximum agility or a modular design.

[0005] 6. Objective of the invention: The objective of the invention is to create a simple, efficient, modular aircraft that can take off and land almost vertically, has highly agile flight characteristics, is scalable in size, requires the smallest possible ground area and at the same time has the largest possible wing area, and demonstrates a high level of operational safety for both operating personnel and third parties on the ground, which is not possible with the current state of the art.

[0006] 7. Innovation: The unique wing arrangement on the fuselage pylon, combined with the ducted fans / blowers on the upper wing surface in the rear position, results in a new type of aircraft. The aircraft features a tailless configuration with a wing staggered angle of 45° (+ / -10°), generating the maximum possible wing area with minimal dimensions. The aerodynamic design of the leading and trailing wings, without a designated empennage, allows for dynamically significant variation in lift distribution between the two wings. This special configuration and the integrated propulsion system enable extreme maneuverability and agility, including direct lift control, which is not possible with other configurations. This further minimizes structural stress, resulting in a lower overall aircraft weight.The design of the central fuselage pylon allows for a modular construction, enabling the attachment of identical or different wings with varying aspect ratios and / or variable wing-to-wing ratios. Due to the special arrangement of the fuselage and wings, and the absence of a tail assembly, the aircraft occupies the smallest possible ground area. It can be tilted backwards at an angle of 45° (+ / -10°) and remain stable on the ground, serving as a starting position for a vertical takeoff. The connecting fuselage pylon features a horizontal cross-section designed as an airfoil with naturally laminar flow characteristics. The rear section of the fuselage pylon incorporates a control flap, functioning as a yaw control or airbrake in addition to the wings – a novel feature for tandem wings.The propulsion system, powered by precisely positioned ducted fans / fans on the upper surface of the wing, in the trailing part of the airfoil but significantly forward of the wing's trailing edge, represents a significant innovation. For the first time, the entire pressure field on the upper surface of the wing is altered by manipulating the intake and exhaust air jets. The exclusive use of ducted fans / fans achieves a new level of safety for operators and ground personnel, as there are no exposed, unprotected high-energy components. The unique tailless design of the airframe and the positioning of the ducted fans / fans on the wing allow for near-vertical takeoff and landing without any configuration changes, while cruise flight remains energy-efficient and wing-based. Due to its design, the aircraft is highly scalable, ranging from a takeoff weight of less than 1 kg to several tons.The ducted fans / blowers can be arranged individually or in groups on the wings, and can have an even or odd number of them.

[0007] 8. Design: The forewing (2) and the trailing wing (3) are attached to the fuselage pylon (1) as the central body, which is designed as an airfoil with naturally laminar flow, in a horizontally and vertically staggered manner, see Fig. 1. One or more fixed ducted fans / blowers (4) are mounted on each wing, on the upper surface, in the rear part of the wing profile, but well in front of the wing's trailing edge, which provide both thrust and controllability by differential thrust, see Fig. 1. The design of the rear part of the fuselage pylon can be configured as a control flap (5) which performs the function of an additional yaw control or air brake, see Fig. 1. Additionally, conventional control surfaces (6) on the wings can be used for aerodynamic control, see Fig. 1.

Claims

[1] aircraft, characterized by , that it has a tailless configuration with a central fuselage pylon as a payload carrier, which connects two backward and vertically staggered wings with integrated ducted propellers / blowers, the wing staggering being tilted backward at an angle of 45° (+ / -10°) to the vertical, thereby generating the maximum possible wing area with minimal dimensions. [2] Aircraft according to claim 1), characterized by that the aircraft, through its special fuselage-wing arrangement, in conjunction with fixed ducted propellers / blowers on the wings, which are also used for control by differential thrust, achieves extreme maneuverability and agility, including direct lift control, with moderate structural stress, thus also enabling a lower structural weight of the aircraft. [3] Aircraft according to claim 1), characterized by, that the aerodynamic design of the front and rear wings without a designated tail unit creates a tailless aircraft in which the front and rear wings each contribute significantly to the overall lift, with the ratio of lift between the front and rear wings being dynamically very variable due to the presence of conventional control surfaces on each wing. [4] Aircraft according to claim 1), characterized by , that the design of the central fuselage pylon allows a modular structure that enables the attachment of identical or different wings with different aspect ratios and / or variable size ratios between the front and rear wings. [5] Aircraft according to claim 1), characterized by, that the aircraft, through the special arrangement of fuselage and wings, in the absence of a tail assembly, occupies the smallest possible ground area, whereby the aircraft can stand stably on the ground tilted backwards at an angle of 45° (+ / -10°), as a starting position for a vertical take-off. [6] Aircraft according to claim 1), characterized by that the connecting fuselage pylon is designed in the horizontal cross-section as a profile with naturally laminar flow. [7] Aircraft according to claim 1), characterized by , that the design of the rear part of the fuselage pylon as a control flap, in addition to the wings, includes the function of a yaw control or air brake. [8] Aircraft according to claim 1), characterized by , that as propulsion, one or more fixed ducted propellers / blowers are mounted on the upper surface of the wing, in the rear part of the wing profile, but clearly in front of the wing's trailing edge. [9] Aircraft according to claim 1), characterized by , that the exclusive use of ducted propellers / blowers optimizes the safety of operators and ground personnel, as there are no open, unprotected high-energy components. [10] Aircraft according to claim 1), characterized by , that due to the special tailless design of the cell and the position of the ducted fans / blowers on the wing, a quasi-vertical takeoff and a quasi-vertical landing are possible without any change in configuration, but the cruise flight is airfoil-based. [11] Aircraft according to claim 1), characterized by , that the aircraft is highly size-scalable, from less than 1kg takeoff mass to several tons of takeoff mass. [12] Aircraft according to claim 1), characterized by that the mantle propellers / blowers are arranged individually or in groups on the wings and have an even or odd number there.

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