Aircraft Propulsor Yaw Torque Cancellation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electrically propelled aircraft, such as eVTOLs, component malfunctions can lead to unsafe flight conditions, compromising safety and requiring a self-neutralizing mechanism to maintain aircraft integrity during landing.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft design featuring a fuselage with laterally extending elements and downward directed propulsors, where the propulsors' rotational axis is offset by a yaw-torque-cancellation angle, allowing for corrective actions to be taken in response to component failures, such as shifting or rotating propulsors to stabilize the aircraft.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the propulsors are positioned with rotational axis aligned to vertical axis, then the aircraft structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the aircraft cannot self-neutralize yaw torque generated by propulsor rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The propulsors are pre-positioned with their rotational axes offset from the vertical axis by a specific yaw-torque-cancellation angle. This preliminary geometric configuration enables the aircraft to automatically neutralize yaw torque generated during operation without requiring active control intervention, thus improving safety while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The rotational axis orientation of the propulsors is changed from a vertical alignment to an offset alignment at a specific yaw-torque-cancellation angle. This parameter modification allows the propulsors to generate a counteracting yaw torque that neutralizes the harmful yaw effect, resolving the contradiction between safety and complexity
2Reliability
If the propulsors are offset by a yaw-torque-cancellation angle, then the aircraft can self-neutralize flight and maintain safety, but the manufacturing and assembly precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The precise offset angle is predetermined and built into the aircraft structure during manufacturing. By performing the torque-neutralization function through the initial geometric design rather than active control, the system achieves high reliability while the precision requirement is consolidated into the manufacturing phase rather than operational phase
Solution Approach 2:
The propulsors are deliberately positioned asymmetrically with respect to the vertical axis, with their rotational axes offset by a specific angle. This asymmetric configuration creates a geometric relationship that automatically generates counteracting yaw torque, enabling self-neutralization while the asymmetry is captured in the design specifications for manufacturing
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 the aircraft to self-neutralize and maintain safety by compensating for component failures, ensuring stable flight and safe landing through controlled yaw and torque management.
Implementation Method 1
downward directed propulsors... having a rotational axis offset from a vertical axis by a yaw-torque-cancellation angle
Implementation Method 2
rotational axis offset from a vertical axis by a yaw-torque-cancellation angle
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft for self-neutralizing flight comprising a fuselage, at least a power source, a plurality of laterally extending elements attached to the fuselage, a plurality of downward directed propulsors attached to the plurality of laterally extending elements and electrically connected to at least a power source, wherein the plurality of downward directed propulsors have a rotational axis offset from a vertical axis by a yaw-torque-cancellation angle.