Flying Apparatus Rotor-Engine Layout for Flight Balance

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing flying apparatuses have a poor balance due to the heavyweight engine being located below the rotors, causing an imbalance during flight.

Innovation Solution

The design includes an airframe with main and sub-rotors, where at least one rotor overlaps with the engine in the up-down direction, and a position detector to improve balance, along with a fuel tank and battery placement to optimize weight distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the engine is located below the rotors, then the engine can be easily mounted and maintained, but the center of gravity is located below the rotors causing poor balance when flying

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveengine mountingVSAvoidbalance when flying
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dimensional reconfiguration by changing the vertical arrangement of components. Instead of placing the engine below the rotors (traditional configuration), the engine is positioned above the rotors, shifting the center of gravity upward to align with or above the rotor plane. This dimensional change in component layout resolves the contradiction by improving flight balance while maintaining ease of engine mounting and maintenance through the same structural platform.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If the center of gravity is below the rotors, then the engine placement is simplified, but the flying apparatus has poor balance during flight

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveengine placementVSAvoidbalance during flight
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies inversion principle by reversing the traditional vertical arrangement of the engine and rotors. Instead of the engine being below the rotors (which simplifies placement but harms balance), the engine is inverted to be above the rotors. This inversion shifts the center of gravity to an optimal position for flight balance while preserving the simplicity of engine placement and maintenance through the same structural mounting system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentEP4644273A1Flying apparatus
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP4644273A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4644273A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4644273A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a flying apparatus capable of improving balance during flight. A flying apparatus (1) includes an airframe (2), a rotor (3) attached to the airframe, and an engine (4) to supply driving force to rotate the rotor. The rotor overlaps with the engine when viewed in an up-down direction.