Cyclorotor Lateral Control for Precise VTOL Hovering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Multirotor drones face limitations in precision due to underactuated lateral motion, requiring pitch or roll adjustments to move sideways or forward, which is slow and imprecise, especially in dynamic atmospheres with perturbations.

Innovation Solution

Integration of a cyclorotor for precise lateral control, allowing thrust vectoring in any direction perpendicular to the cyclorotor axis, enabling rapid compensation for atmospheric disturbances without needing to pitch or roll the aircraft.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If multirotor drones use traditional rotor thrust vectoring to achieve lateral motion, then they can move sideways or forward, but the motion is slow and imprecise due to requiring pitch or roll adjustments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelateral motion speedVSAvoidhovering precision

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the propulsion system into separate functional components: traditional rotors for lift and cyclorotors for lateral thrust. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each function, enabling precise hovering through lift control while achieving rapid lateral motion through cyclorotor thrust vectoring without requiring pitch or roll adjustments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cyclorotor acts as an intermediary device that provides direct lateral thrust without requiring attitude changes. By introducing this intermediate propulsion mechanism, the system achieves lateral motion independently of the traditional pitch-roll-accelerate sequence, thereby improving both speed and precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If multirotor drones alter rotor rotational speed to change pitch attitude for lateral motion initiation, then they can achieve forward or sideways movement, but the process takes time to overcome rotational inertia

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelateral control responsivenessVSAvoidtime to initiate lateral motion

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The cyclorotor is pre-configured to provide immediate lateral thrust when activated. Instead of requiring the sequence of altering rotor speeds, changing pitch attitude, and then overcoming inertia, the cyclorotor delivers lateral motion capability instantly, performing the useful action before the traditional multi-step process would complete

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If multirotor drones use pitch and roll attitude changes for lateral control, then they can move in desired directions, but they cannot maintain exactly the same lateral position in dynamic atmospheres

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveatmospheric perturbation compensationVSAvoidposition holding precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses onboard sensors to continuously monitor position and atmospheric conditions, providing feedback to the control system. The cyclorotor responds to this feedback by making rapid, precise thrust adjustments that counteract atmospheric perturbations, maintaining exact position holding capability even in dynamic environments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The cyclorotor provides dynamic lateral control by rapidly adjusting thrust magnitude and direction in response to real-time conditions. This dynamic capability allows the system to adapt to atmospheric perturbations instantly, maintaining precise position holding where traditional static attitude-based control would fail

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 precise hovering and positioning near or touching a target surface, improving stability and precision by providing direct lateral control and reducing the need for rotational adjustments, thus enhancing the drone's ability to perform tasks in hard-to-access areas.

Implementation Method 1

Cyclorotors are fluid propulsion and control devices that convert mechanical rotation into vectorable thrust by fluid acceleration

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid acceleration:

Implementation Method 2

As the cyclorotor 1 rotates in rotation direction 3, the blades 5 are oscillated once per revolution so that the individual blade aerodynamic lift 6 produces a net thrust 2 in a unified direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAerodynamic lift: Aerofoil

Data Source

PatentUS11614754B2Multirotor vertical takeoff and landing aircraft with cyclorotor for lateral control

Publication Date: 2023.03.28 PITCH AERONAUTICS LLC

AI summary

A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft capable of six degree-of-freedom motion where lift, pitch, and roll are provided by multirotors oriented vertically, lateral translation is provided by a cyclorotor oriented vertically, and yaw is provided by a combination of the cyclorotor and the multirotors. The invention includes a frame, which supports the multirotors and cyclorotors. The frame also supports a payload and battery which are positioned at the extreme ends of the frame. The aircraft is capable of hovering precisely to position a payload close to or touching a target surface in the air.