Suspended Coaxial Hover Aircraft for Stable Long-Duration Hover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing VTOL aircraft with hovering capabilities face inefficiencies in maintaining a stable hover state due to relative movement issues, requiring additional energy for control counter-movements, which affects long-term flight characteristics.
Innovation Solution
Aircraft design featuring a drive unit with a first rotor and a rotationally symmetrical fuselage unit, where the fuselage is spaced from the rotor via a suspension, equipped with a detection unit and an internal combustion engine, allowing for stable hovering without counter-movements by maintaining a coaxial arrangement of rotors and fuselage, eliminating the need for a tail boom or tail rotor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional VTOL aircraft with hovering capabilities are used, then hovering function is achieved, but additional energy is consumed for control counter-movements to counteract relative motion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by positioning the fuselage unit offset from the rotor axis, creating an asymmetric configuration that eliminates the need for counter-movements during hovering. The fuselage is suspended at a distance from the rotor, with the detection unit positioned at the far end, creating an asymmetric mass distribution that stabilizes the hovering state without requiring additional control energy.
2Duration of action of moving object
If control counter-movements are executed to counteract relative motion during hovering, then hovering position is maintained, but flight duration is reduced due to additional energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft design allows the fuselage unit to naturally maintain its position during hovering through its asymmetric configuration and suspension arrangement. The system serves itself by using the gravitational and aerodynamic forces on the offset fuselage to automatically counteract any drift, eliminating the need for active control movements and reducing energy consumption during extended hovering operations.
3Stability of the object's composition
If fuselage unit is coupled close to the rotor, then structural complexity is reduced, but stable hovering is compromised due to interference between fuselage and rotor airflow
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension system acts as an intermediary element between the rotor and the fuselage unit. It maintains an optimal distance that prevents airflow interference while managing the structural connection. The suspension allows the fuselage to be positioned at a distance from the rotor, creating a buffer zone that eliminates harmful aerodynamic interactions while maintaining structural integrity.
4Measurement precision
If detection unit is positioned at the end of fuselage unit, then environmental sensing capability is improved, but structural length increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detection unit is positioned at the end of the fuselage unit, extending the sensing capability in the longitudinal dimension. This arrangement allows the detection unit to survey a larger environmental volume and achieve better measurement precision for environmental parameters while the fuselage length is optimized to maintain overall aircraft compactness through efficient spatial arrangement of other components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables prolonged stable hovering (up to 24 hours) with minimal relative movement, reduced noise and pollutant emissions, and the capability to carry payloads over long distances while maintaining a constant position relative to the earth's surface.
Implementation Method 1
a first rotor (11) for generating a downward airflow to a ground
Implementation Method 2
The fuselage unit (20) has a suspension (40) at one end, via which the fuselage unit (20) is coupled to the first rotor (11) in such a way that the fuselage unit (20) is spaced apart from the first rotor (11) along the axis of rotation
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 5~6D
AI summary
The invention relates to an aircraft (100), comprising a drive unit (10) and a fuselage unit (20). The drive unit (10) has a first rotor (11) for providing a thrust on the aircraft (100). The fuselage unit (20) extends along an axis of rotation (30) of the first rotor (11) and has a rotationally symmetrical shape with respect to the axis of rotation (30) of the first rotor (11). The fuselage unit (20) has a suspension (40) at a first end (21), by means of which suspension the fuselage unit (20) is coupled to the first rotor (11) in such a way that the fuselage unit (20) is spaced apart from the first rotor (11) along the axis of rotation (30). A sensing unit (50) for sensing environment information is provided in the region of the second end (22) of the fuselage unit (20). The drive unit (10) is designed to hold the aircraft (100) in a hovering state such that the position of the aircraft (100) relative to a reference point (61) on the surface of the earth (60) remains unchanged.