Tilted Rotor Axes Yaw Maneuverability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multirotor drones, such as quadcopters, face challenges in achieving rapid yaw maneuverability due to the limitations of modifying rotor blade pitch angles, which require significant drag and reduced RPM, and are cumbersome with multiple engines for speed control, making them inefficient for carrying payloads over long flight times.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a quadcopter drone with a symmetrical tilt of rotor axes in the yaw plane, allowing for increased pitch angles on diagonally opposite rotors and reduced pitch angles on others, generating side forces to enhance yaw torque without altering rotor speeds, enabling improved maneuverability with a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine at constant RPM.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the pitch angle of rotor blades is increased to produce torque for rapid yaw maneuvering, then yaw maneuverability is improved, but flight performance deteriorates due to high drag, stalling risk, and reduced blade speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new degree of freedom by tilting the rotor axes in the yaw plane at specific angles (γ1 and γ2). Instead of relying solely on pitch angle modification, the tilted configuration enables side forces to be generated during rotation, creating torque in the yaw plane through a geometric dimension change. This allows rapid yaw maneuvering without excessive pitch angles, thus avoiding high drag and stalling risks while maintaining flight performance stability.
2Ease of operation
If multiple engines with speed control systems are installed to control rotor speeds, then maneuverability control is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the speed control systems from the propulsion setup, retaining only the tilted rotor configuration. By fixing the rotor axes at predetermined tilt angles, the system eliminates the need for complex electronic speed control mechanisms while maintaining maneuverability through geometric design. This simplifies the device structure and reduces weight, addressing the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
3Speed
If rotor axes are tilted to generate side forces for yaw torque, then yaw maneuverability is improved, but rotor configuration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric tilt angles for different rotor pairs (γ1 for first pair, γ2 for second pair) in the yaw plane. This asymmetric configuration creates differential side forces that generate net torque for rapid yaw response. While the angles differ, the overall structure remains relatively simple compared to alternative solutions, as the asymmetry is achieved through fixed geometric angles rather than complex mechanical adjustments, thus balancing yaw performance with configuration simplicity.
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 configuration enhances yaw maneuverability and allows for efficient flight with a gasoline-powered engine, maintaining constant RPM and reducing the need for cumbersome speed control systems, while supporting heavier payloads over extended flight times.
Implementation Method 1
the axis of movement of each of the rotors are tilted in a symmetrical configuration in relation to the yaw plane of the aerial vehicle... generating side forces to enhance yaw torque
Data Source
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AI summary
Providing improved yaw maneuverability to an aerial vehicle of the multi-blade type, that enables modifying the pitch angle (α) of its rotors blades, and a method of implementation for this purpose, wherein the axis of movement of at least two pairs of the aerial vehicle's rotors are tilted in a symmetrical configuration in relation to the aerial vehicle's yaw plane, so that each pair converges towards another point on the same level along a longitudinal axis plane of the aerial vehicle while creating an angle (ϒ) between the rotation planes of the rotors of each pair, which is less than 180° and greater than 140°.