Tilted Rotor VTOL Aircraft Yaw Control
Solution Overview
Problem
As aircraft size increases, it becomes more difficult to change the angular momentum sufficiently in vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, such as quadcopters, making control and maneuverability challenging.
Innovation Solution
The aircraft incorporates a support structure with lift rotors whose propeller rotational planes are tilted inward or outward with respect to the support structure, generating a thrust component normal to the lift component, thereby increasing angular momentum and improving control, allowing larger aircraft to be maneuvered with the same force expenditure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the aircraft size increases, then the lift capacity and payload capability improve, but the angular momentum change becomes insufficient making control difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor planes are tilted at an angle α relative to the horizontal plane, creating a dynamic configuration where the thrust vector has both vertical and horizontal components. This dynamic angular arrangement allows the system to generate torque for yaw control while maintaining lift capacity, resolving the contradiction between aircraft size and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
By tilting the rotor planes out of the horizontal plane, the invention adds a dimensional element (angular orientation) to the thrust generation mechanism. This creates a thrust component in the horizontal direction that produces torque around the vertical axis, enabling yaw control without requiring rapid changes in rotational speed.
2Force
If the rotor planes are tilted to increase angular momentum, then the torque generation improves, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor planes are tilted at an angle α rather than being horizontally symmetric, creating an asymmetric configuration relative to the aircraft body. This asymmetric tilt generates the necessary torque component for yaw control while maintaining a relatively simple structural implementation through fixed angular mounting of the rotor assemblies.
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
This tilting mechanism enhances the angular momentum and torque generation, enabling easier yawing and control of larger VTOL aircraft, reducing the need for swivel joints and allowing for precise hovering and flight direction changes.
Implementation Method 1
One idea underlying the aircraft described herein is that the sine wave effect is used by inclining or tilting the propeller planes.
Implementation Method 2
This thrust component acts normal to the lift component and increases the angular momentum of the aircraft with a change in speed of the respective lift rotor.
Implementation Method 3
The aircraft can be better controlled by the increase in the angular momentum, more precisely the control can already be achieved by a smaller expenditure of force
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft is provided, which comprises a support structure and at least four lift rotors. Each of the lift rotors is attached to the support structure and comprises at least one propeller. The lift rotors are constituted such that a rotational plane, in which the at least one propeller of the lift rotor rotates, is tilted with respect to a plane formed by the support structure.