Bimodal Propeller Aircraft Stowing Hover Blades
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft propellers optimized for hover conditions cause inefficiencies during cruise, and existing designs struggle to balance vertical take-off and landing capabilities with efficient forward flight, leading to increased drag and reduced range.
Innovation Solution
A bimodal propeller aircraft with folding hover propellers and bistable cruise propellers that transition between modes, allowing for vertical take-off and landing while minimizing drag during cruise by stowing hover propellers, and utilizing a flight control system to manage propeller engagement and wing tilting for optimal performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If powerful propellers are used for hover, then vertical take-off and landing capability is improved, but drag and inefficiency during cruise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hover propellers are designed to be movable rather than fixed, capable of transitioning between deployed and stowed positions. During hover operations, the propellers are deployed to provide necessary thrust; during cruise, they are stowed to minimize drag, thus adapting the propulsion system to different flight phases
Solution Approach 2:
The propulsion system is divided into separate functional components: cruise propellers that remain fixed for efficient forward flight, and movable hover propellers that are deployed only when needed for vertical operations. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function without compromising the other
2Adaptability or versatility
If hover propellers are deployed during cruise, then vertical maneuvering capability is maintained, but range and efficiency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The hover propellers are designed with movable mounting mechanisms that allow them to be repositioned from a deployed configuration during hover to a stowed configuration during cruise, dynamically adapting the system to operational requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The hover propellers are stowed in advance before cruise operations begin, and deployed in advance before hover operations commence, ensuring optimal performance for each flight phase without transition delays
Data Source
AI summary
A bimodal propeller aircraft is disclosed. In various embodiments, the aircraft is flown using a cruise propeller and a hover propeller. The hover propeller has one or more folding blades optimized to provide lift to the aircraft in a first flight mode. The cruise propeller is optimized to provide thrust in a second flight mode. In the second flight mode, the one or more folding blades of the hover propeller may remain in a stowed position.