Gyroscopically Mounted Ducted Fans for VTOL Transition Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing VTOL aircraft designs face challenges with reduced lift during transition from vertical to horizontal flight, complex and costly control systems, and inefficiencies in thrust distribution, which affect maneuverability and performance.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates gyroscopically mounted ducted fans and a joystick-style control system with trigger and adjustable modulators to allow for intuitive control of propulsion systems, enabling adjustments in roll, pitch, and yaw without altering spatial location or velocity vector, and distributing power between grouped propulsion systems for efficient thrust management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If tilt-rotor design is used to achieve VTOL capability, then the aircraft can operate without runways, but lift is reduced during transition from hover to flight position
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft divides its propulsion system into multiple independent ducted fans distributed across the airframe (typically four fans at the corners), allowing each fan to independently control thrust vectors. This segmentation enables precise control of lift and moment generation during transition phases, avoiding the lift loss experienced by tilt-rotor designs where entire rotor assemblies must be rotated.
Solution Approach 2:
The ducted fans are mounted on gyroscopic mounts that enable dynamic adjustment of thrust vector orientation in real-time. During transition from hover to forward flight, the fans can independently adjust their thrust angles, maintaining optimal lift generation while changing the aircraft's flight regime, thus avoiding the inherent lift reduction in rigid tilt-rotor configurations.
2Ease of operation
If cyclic control is used to control ducted fans, then precise maneuverability is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex cyclic control mechanism from the ducted fan system. Instead of using cyclic pitch control to achieve maneuverability, the system uses simpler collective control combined with gyroscopic mounting that allows the fans to independently tilt and vector thrust. This removes the need for complex mechanical cyclic control linkages while maintaining full maneuverability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical cyclic control systems with an electrical/electronic control system that directly actuates the ducted fans' tilt mechanisms. This substitution eliminates complex mechanical linkages, reduces maintenance requirements, and simplifies the overall control architecture while maintaining precise maneuverability through electronic control of each fan's thrust vector.
3Device complexity
If collective control is used to change blade angle, then control simplicity is maintained, but flight performance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the control mode for each ducted fan based on flight conditions. During hover, collective control provides simplicity, but during transition and forward flight, the gyroscopically mounted fans can independently adjust their thrust vectors, providing dynamic performance enhancement without requiring complex cyclic control mechanisms. This dynamic adaptability resolves the trade-off between control simplicity and flight performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The ducted fans are designed with multi-functionality, serving both as lift generators and as maneuvering actuators. By mounting them on gyroscopic platforms, they can perform the functions traditionally separated between collective pitch control (lift) and cyclic pitch control (maneuvering), achieving both control simplicity and high performance through a unified, versatile control architecture.
4Device complexity
If thrust members are completely exposed to exterior, then structural simplicity is achieved, but control precision during transition is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces ducted fans as an intermediary structure between the exposed thrust members and the external environment. The ducts provide aerodynamic guidance and flow management, improving control precision during transition phases by directing and stabilizing the thrust flow, while the fans remain externally mounted to maintain structural simplicity and ease of access.
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
This configuration enhances maneuverability and performance by simplifying control logic, reducing complexity and weight, and maintaining lift and thrust efficiency during transitions and flight, while allowing for stable and efficient vertical takeoff and landing capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
The aircraft is powered by a plurality of ducted fans
Implementation Method 2
The plurality of ducted fans are gyroscopically mounted to an exterior surface of the airframe such that each ducted fan can fully articulate about both the x- and y-axis
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft capable of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) including one or more propulsion systems gyroscopically mounted (i.e. rotatable about x- and y-axes) to a rigid airframe is disclosed. Each “wing” includes a propulsion system mounted to an axle that is rotatably attached to a wing mount, which in turn is pivotably mounted to the exterior of the airframe. The propulsion systems are electronically grouped according to their position relative to the airframe, such that one controller can control all the propulsion systems on the right or left side of the aircraft, resulting in control logic that is far more intuitive and convenient than that taught in the prior art. A method of operating an aircraft utilizing this improved control logic is also disclosed.