Multirotor with Tiltable Rotor Booms for VTOL-to-Wing-Borne Flight

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Solution Overview

Problem

Modern VTOL multirotor vehicles face challenges in transitioning between thrust borne and wing borne flight modes, with limited correctional recovery options during transitional phases, and traditional fixed wing aircraft suffer from lift efficiency losses at wing tips due to vortex formation.

Innovation Solution

A multirotor vehicle design featuring a fuselage, empennage, wings, canards, and pivotable rotor booms with rotors that allow smooth transitions between thrust borne and partial wing borne flight configurations, utilizing tiltable rotor booms to maintain VTOL capability while minimizing propwash disruption and enhancing lift efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the vehicle transitions fully to wing borne flight, then energy efficiency is improved, but the vehicle loses VTOL capability and has limited correctional recovery options

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy efficiencyVSAvoidVTOL capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The rotor booms are designed to be tiltable rather than fixed, allowing the vehicle to dynamically adjust between thrust-borne and wing-borne flight configurations. This enables the vehicle to maintain VTOL capability while operating in a partial wing-borne mode that improves energy efficiency compared to full thrust-borne flight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The aircraft is designed to perform multiple flight modes (thrust-borne VTOL, partial wing-borne, and full wing-borne flight) using the same configuration of tiltable rotor booms and wings, making it a universal vehicle that can adapt to different operational requirements without sacrificing capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Device complexity

If traditional fixed wing aircraft design is used, then structural simplicity is improved, but lift efficiency is reduced due to vortex formation at wing tips

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidlift efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent positions the rotor booms and rotors to utilize the upwash and downwash patterns created by the main wings. The rotor thrust vectors are angled to work with the wing-generated airflow patterns, converting what would be harmful vortex effects into beneficial aerodynamic interactions that enhance overall lift efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If rotor diameter is reduced to fit multiple rotors, then vehicle safety redundancy is improved, but thrust lift efficiency decreases due to high disc loading

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety redundancyVSAvoidthrust lift efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of increasing rotor diameter in the horizontal plane, the patent utilizes the vertical dimension by tilting the rotor booms. This allows smaller diameter rotors to generate effective vertical thrust components when tilted, maintaining safety redundancy while improving thrust lift efficiency through three-dimensional thrust vectoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 efficient energy transition between flight modes with reduced noise and improved lift performance, ensuring structural integrity and safety by avoiding rotor debris interference and optimizing energy use.

Implementation Method 1

The rotary wing is a plurality of airfoiled blades rotating on the same axis to generate thrust by moving air

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThrust generation by rotor: Aerofoil

Implementation Method 2

Partial wing borne flight means the airborne force is a combination of direct vertical rotor thrust and wing lift

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLift generation by wing: Aerofoil

Implementation Method 3

utilizing tiltable rotor booms to maintain VTOL capability while minimizing propwash disruption and enhancing lift efficiency

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPropwash disruption minimization: Turbulence

Data Source

PatentUS12428149B2Multirotor aerial vehicle with tiltable rotor boom

Publication Date: 2025.09.30 WANG XI

AI summary

A rotorcraft with distributed propulsion system having the capability to transition between two configurations suitable for thrust borne VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) flight and partial wing borne airplane flight. The rotorcraft includes a fuselage, an empennage, a vertical stabilizer, a rudder, a pair of wings, a pair of flaps, a pair of canards, a pair of pylons, a pair of tiltable rotor booms and a plurality of rotors. The tiltable rotor booms are associated with an actuator to change collectively the direction of the rotor thrust vector with respect to the fuselage. The rotor can be open rotor or ducted rotor. The rotor booms oriented in the canted position is the first configuration suitable for partial wing borne flight and the rotor booms oriented in the horizontal position is the second configuration suitable for thrust borne flight.