Swashplateless Helicopter Pitch Control Without a Swashplate

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing unmanned helicopters require a swashplate and steering gear, which increase manufacturing costs, load, and reduce endurance due to their size, weight, and complex structure, prone to damage.

Innovation Solution

A swashplateless design using a rotating bracket with swinging bodies to change blade pitch through inertia, eliminating the need for a swashplate and steering gear, and utilizing a motor encoder for real-time control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a swashplate and steering gear are added to control blade pitch, then direction control capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedirection control capabilityVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the swashplate and steering gear from the traditional helicopter structure, extracting these complex mechanical components while retaining direction control capability through an alternative mechanism involving blade flapping and cyclic pitch control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical swashplate-steering gear system with a control system that uses blade flapping dynamics and direct pitch control, substituting complex mechanical linkages with a simplified control mechanism

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a swashplate and steering gear are added to control blade pitch, then direction control capability is improved, but weight increases and endurance decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedirection control capabilityVSAvoidairframe weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the heavy swashplate and steering gear components from the airframe, directly reducing weight while maintaining direction control through alternative mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs lighter alternative control mechanisms that sacrifice the durability of heavy mechanical components in favor of weight reduction, using simpler control elements that achieve the same function with minimal weight penalty

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Adaptability or versatility

If a swashplate with connecting rod structure is used, then blade pitch control is achieved, but reliability decreases due to prone damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblade pitch controlVSAvoidservice life

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the vulnerable swashplate and connecting rod structure from the system, eliminating the source of reliability problems while preserving blade pitch control functionality through a more robust control mechanism

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using a rigid mechanical connection system (swashplate) to control blade pitch, the patent inverts the approach by allowing blade flapping to occur naturally and using this motion to achieve pitch control, thereby eliminating the fragile mechanical linkages

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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

Achieves direction-changing flight with reduced manufacturing costs, load, and improved endurance by simplifying the structure and prolonging the service life of the helicopter.

Implementation Method 1

A first swinging body 6 and a second swinging body 7 are respectively hinged to two opposite sides of the rotating bracket 5... the first swinging body 6 and the second swinging body 7 are respectively configured to bring the first blade 3 and the second blade 4 to swing forward or backward in a rotating direction of the blade motor 2, so as to change the pitch of the first blade 3 and the second blade 4

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInertia: Inertia

Data Source

PatentEP4711272A1Swashplateless helicopter and control method thereof

Publication Date: 2026.03.18 GUANGZHOU WALKERA TECH CO LTD

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AI summary

The present invention relates to the technical field of flight equipment, and in particular to a swashplateless helicopter and a control method thereof. The swashplateless helicopter incudes an airframe (1). A blade motor (2) is mounted on the airframe (1) and controlled by a control system, which is provided with a rotating bracket (5) in a transmission way. The rotating bracket (5) has a first swinging body (6) and a second swinging body (7) which respectively hinged at two opposite sides of the rotating bracket 5. A first blade (3) and a second blade (4) are respectively connected to the first swinging body (6) and the second swinging body (7). The first swinging body (6) and the second swinging body (7) are respectively configured to drive the first blade (3) and the second blade (4) to swing forward or backward in a rotating direction of the blade motor (2), so as to respectively change a pitch of the first blade (3) and the second blade (4). The present invention eliminates a swashplate and a steering gear relative to a traditional unmanned helicopter structure, but can still achieve control of a direction-changing flight of the helicopter, which effectively reduces manufacturing cost, reducing load, while improving endurance, simplifying structure, and prolonging service life of helicopter.