Rotating Wing Assemblies for Tailsitter Aircraft Transition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional tailsitter aircraft face challenges in achieving efficient horizontal flight and ground stability due to the need for large vertical tails or fins, which increase drag and weight, compromising performance.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of rotating wing assemblies that allow tailsitter aircraft to transition between vertical take-off and landing configurations and horizontal flight, using pivot axes and retractable landing legs to maintain stability without unnecessary weight or drag.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If large vertical tails or fins are used to provide landing and ground stability, then ground stability is improved, but weight and drag increase, compromising flight performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs retractable landing legs that can be extended during takeoff and landing operations to provide necessary ground stability, then retracted during flight to eliminate drag and weight penalties. This dynamic configuration allows the aircraft to optimize its structure based on operational phase, using landing support only when needed on the ground.
Solution Approach 2:
The landing support function is separated from the main fuselage structure through independent retractable landing legs. This segmentation allows the landing gear to be deployed independently during critical ground operations and retracted during flight, preventing the need for permanently large vertical tails or fins that would continuously increase weight and drag.
2Stability of the object's composition
If large vertical tails or fins are used to provide landing and ground stability, then ground stability is improved, but aerodynamic drag increases, compromising flight performance
Solution Approach 1:
The retractable landing legs provide ground stability when extended during takeoff and landing, then are retracted into the fuselage during flight to present a streamlined profile. This dynamic retraction eliminates the aerodynamic drag that would result from permanent large vertical tails or fins, allowing the aircraft to maintain optimal aerodynamic qualities during flight while still providing necessary ground stability when needed.
3Stability of the object's composition
If retractable landing legs are made large to provide sufficient landing base, then ground stability is improved, but aircraft weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses retractable landing legs that extend to provide a wide landing base during ground operations for stability, then retract completely into the fuselage during flight. This dynamic configuration allows the landing legs to be sufficiently large for ground stability without continuously adding weight and drag during flight, as they are only deployed when needed for takeoff and landing operations.
Data Source
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AI summary
A tailsitter aircraft includes one or more rotatable wings. The tailsitter aircraft optionally includes a fuselage from which wing supports extend. Each rotatable wing optionally includes a rotatable wing section having an inboard portion proximate to the fuselage, and an outboard portion distal from the fuselage. The rotatable wing section may be rotatably attached to the wing support and configured to rotate between a vertical flight configuration in which the inboard portion is positioned on an opposing side of the wing support relative to the outboard portion, and a horizontal flight configuration different from the vertical flight configuration. The wings may be rotated during flight to transition between horizontal and vertical flight configurations, and they may be rotated about multiple axes.