Multirotor Aircraft Forward-Swept Wing VTOL Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional VTOL multirotor aircrafts face challenges in controllability, stability, and safety due to the arrangement of thrust producing units and wings, leading to negative aerodynamic interactions, reduced structural efficiency, and safety risks such as blade loss and battery placement near passengers.
Innovation Solution
A multirotor aircraft design featuring a forward-swept wing with non-tiltably mounted thrust producing units arranged on wing tips and pods, allowing for a low-wing configuration that eliminates overhead masses, provides safe boarding zones, and distributes mass for improved structural efficiency and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If thrust producing units are arranged near the wing tips and boarding zone, then lift generation is improved, but safety is worsened due to blade loss risks and obstructive boarding
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft is divided into functional zones: lift-generating thrust units are segmented and positioned at wing tips, while the boarding zone is segregated and positioned at the trailing edge, eliminating overlap between hazardous and safe areas
Solution Approach 2:
The boarding zone is repositioned from a conventional central location to the trailing edge of the wing, utilizing the spanwise dimension to create spatial separation between thrust production areas and passenger safety zones
2Device complexity
If thrust producing units are rigidly mounted to the airframe, then structural simplicity is improved, but aerodynamic efficiency is worsened due to negative interactions between wings and thrust units
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft configuration is segmented into distinct functional components: forward-swept wings for aerodynamic efficiency and separately positioned thrust producing units at wing tips for lift generation, minimizing aerodynamic interference
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the aircraft are optimized for different functions: the forward-swept wing section is optimized for aerodynamic performance while the wing tip section accommodates thrust units optimized for vertical lift production
3Device complexity
If overhead masses are present above the cabin, then structural support is simplified, but crashworthiness is worsened due to increased loads during emergency landing
Solution Approach 1:
Overhead masses (thrust producing units) are extracted from their conventional position above the cabin and relocated to the wing tips, eliminating the hazard of overhead components during crash scenarios while maintaining structural support functions
4Ease of manufacture
If thrust producing units are arranged in conventional configuration, then ease of manufacture is improved, but controllability and stability are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft employs an asymmetric forward-swept wing configuration with thrust producing units positioned at the wing tips, creating an optimized mass and aerodynamic distribution that enhances controllability and stability during vertical take-off and landing operations
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
The design enhances flight stability, reduces structural loads, and ensures safe boarding and emergency exit by eliminating obstructive thrust units, improving crashworthiness, and distributing mass for balanced lift and weight distribution.
Implementation Method 1
The wings are provided for generating lift during forward flight
Implementation Method 2
the thrust producing units which are provided for essentially generating lift and the other thrust producing units, both providing diverse lift/thrust compound characteristics
Data Source
AI summary
A multirotor aircraft 10 that is adapted for vertical take-off and landing, comprising a fuselage, a thrust producing units assembly that is provided for producing thrust in operation, and a forward-swept wing that comprises a portside half wing and a starboard side half wing. Each one of the portside and starboard side half wings comprises an inboard section that is connected to the fuselage and an outboard section that forms a wing tip. The inboard sections of the portside and starboard side half wings form a central wing region. The portside and starboard side half wings are respectively connected in the region of their wing tips to an associated outboard wing pod that supports at least two non-tiltably mounted thrust producing units of the thrust producing units assembly.