公开(公告)号：US09896200B2

公开(公告)日：2018-02-20

申请号：US15332391

申请日：2016-10-24

Applicant: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Inventor： William J. Fredericks ,  Mark D. Moore ,  Ronald C. Busan ,  Paul M. Rothhaar ,  David D. North ,  William M. Langford ,  Christopher T. Laws ,  William T. Hodges ,  Zachary R. Johns ,  Sandy R. Webb

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64C39/00 ,  B64C11/28 ,  B64C25/52 ,  B64D27/24 ,  B64C3/40 ,  B64C9/14 ,  B64D27/26 ,  B64C11/50 ,  B64C25/32 ,  B64C3/38 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64C5/02 ,  B64D27/02

CPC classification number: B64C29/0033 ,  B64C3/385 ,  B64C3/40 ,  B64C5/02 ,  B64C9/14 ,  B64C11/28 ,  B64C11/50 ,  B64C25/32 ,  B64C25/52 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/021 ,  B64C2201/042 ,  B64C2201/044 ,  B64C2201/088 ,  B64C2201/104 ,  B64C2201/108 ,  B64C2201/165 ,  B64D27/24 ,  B64D27/26 ,  B64D2027/026 ,  Y02T50/44 ,  Y02T50/64 ,  Y10S903/903

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are provided that combine an advance vehicle configuration, such as an advanced aircraft configuration, with the infusion of electric propulsion, thereby enabling a four times increase in range and endurance while maintaining a full vertical takeoff and landing (“VTOL”) and hover capability for the vehicle. Embodiments may provide vehicles with both VTOL and cruise efficient capabilities without the use of ground infrastructure. An embodiment vehicle may comprise a wing configured to tilt through a range of motion, a first series of electric motors coupled to the wing and each configured to drive an associated wing propeller, a tail configured to tilt through the range of motion, a second series of electric motors coupled to the tail and each configured to drive an associated tail propeller, and an electric propulsion system connected to the first series of electric motors and the second series of electric motors.

公开(公告)号：US20170300066A1

公开(公告)日：2017-10-19

申请号：US15131914

申请日：2016-04-18

Applicant: LATITUDE ENGINEERING, LLC

Inventor： Jason Michael K. Douglas ,  Justin Armer ,  Carlos Murphy

IPC: G05D1/08 ,  B64C29/00 ,  B64C39/02

CPC classification number: G05D1/0816 ,  B64C29/0008 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/024 ,  B64C2201/042 ,  B64C2201/044 ,  B64C2201/088 ,  B64C2201/108 ,  B64C2201/141 ,  G05D1/0833 ,  G05D1/0858

Abstract: An unmanned aircraft includes a forward propulsion system comprising one or more forward thrust engines and one or more corresponding rotors coupled to the forward thrust engines; a vertical propulsion system comprising one or more vertical thrust engines and one or more corresponding rotors coupled to the vertical thrust engines; a plurality of sensors; and a yaw control system, that includes a processor configured to monitor one or more aircraft parameters received from at least one of the plurality of sensors and to enter a free yaw control mode based on the received aircraft parameters.

公开(公告)号：US20170274988A1

公开(公告)日：2017-09-28

申请号：US15081163

申请日：2016-03-25

Applicant: The United States of America as represented by the

Inventor： Hoa G. Nguyen ,  Aaron B. Burmeister

IPC: B64C25/28 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64C25/52 ,  B64C29/00 ,  B64C25/32

CPC classification number: B64C25/28 ,  B64C25/32 ,  B64C25/52 ,  B64C29/00 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2025/008 ,  B64C2025/325 ,  B64C2201/088 ,  B64C2201/141 ,  B64C2201/18

Abstract: A system for landing, comprising a vertical-take-off-and-landing (VTOL) unmanned air vehicle (UAV) having landing gear, wherein the landing gear is telescopic and comprises a sensor, and wherein the landing gear is compressed upon landing on a surface, and the compression causes a signal to be sent to a system that computes the slope of the ground surface using the length of the compressed landing gear and the attitude of the UAV. If the center of gravity falls within the support area, the legs are locked and the UAV power is turned off. If the center of gravity falls outside the support area, the UAV is forced to take off and find a safer landing spot.

公开(公告)号：US20170240275A1

公开(公告)日：2017-08-24

申请号：US15456450

申请日：2017-03-10

Applicant: Jetoptera, Inc.

Inventor： Andrei Evulet

IPC: B64C29/04 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64C11/00 ,  B64C9/00 ,  B64C39/12 ,  B64D27/20

CPC classification number: B64C29/04 ,  B64C9/38 ,  B64C11/001 ,  B64C15/00 ,  B64C21/00 ,  B64C29/02 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C39/12 ,  B64C2201/021 ,  B64C2201/048 ,  B64C2201/088 ,  B64C2201/10 ,  B64C2201/104 ,  B64C2201/162 ,  B64D27/10 ,  B64D27/20 ,  B64D29/02 ,  B64D33/02 ,  B64D33/04 ,  B64D2033/0273 ,  Y02T50/166 ,  Y02T50/44

Abstract: A vehicle, includes a main body. A fluid generator is coupled to the main body and produces a fluid stream. At least one fore conduit and at least one tail conduit are fluidly coupled to the generator. First and second fore ejectors are fluidly coupled to the fore conduit, coupled to the main body and respectively coupled to a starboard side and port side of the vehicle. The fore ejectors respectively comprise an outlet structure out of which fluid flows. At least one tail ejector is fluidly coupled to the tail conduit. The tail ejector comprises an outlet structure out of which fluid flows. A primary airfoil element is coupled to the tail portion. A surface of the primary airfoil element is located directly downstream of the first and second fore ejectors such that the fluid from the first and second fore ejectors flows over the such surface.

公开(公告)号：US20170233070A1

公开(公告)日：2017-08-17

申请号：US15256140

申请日：2016-09-02

Applicant: RALPH C. STARACE ,  ROBERT A. AUGUST ,  DOUGLAS L. FRONIUS ,  FRANCOIS CREASMAN

Inventor： RALPH C. STARACE ,  ROBERT A. AUGUST ,  DOUGLAS L. FRONIUS ,  FRANCOIS CREASMAN

IPC: B64C29/02 ,  B64C27/57 ,  G05D1/08 ,  B64C3/56 ,  G05D1/00 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64C9/00

CPC classification number: B64C29/02 ,  B64C3/56 ,  B64C9/00 ,  B64C27/57 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/088 ,  B64C2201/102 ,  B64C2201/108 ,  B64C2201/141 ,  B64C2201/146 ,  G05D1/0011 ,  G05D1/0088 ,  G05D1/0858

Abstract: One example embodiment includes a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The VTOL UAV includes a flight control system configured to provide avionic control of the VTOL UAV in a hover mode and in a level-flight mode. The VTOL UAV also includes a body encapsulating an engine and the flight control system. The VTOL UAV further includes a rotor disk coupled to the engine and configured to provide vertical thrust and cyclic pitch control in the hover mode and to provide horizontal thrust for flight during the level-flight mode.

公开(公告)号：US20170217585A1

公开(公告)日：2017-08-03

申请号：US15328611

申请日：2015-07-21

Applicant: ATMOS UAV B.V.

Inventor： Sander HULSMAN ,  Jurjen DE GROOT ,  Maarten MILIS ,  Dirk Lucas Eduard DOKTER ,  Joost Leon BOUMAN ,  Ruud KNOOPS

IPC: B64C29/02 ,  B64C39/02

CPC classification number: B64C29/02 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/028 ,  B64C2201/042 ,  B64C2201/088 ,  B64C2201/104 ,  B64C2201/108 ,  B64C2201/165

Abstract: An aircraft, in particular an unmanned aerial vehicle with wing-borne flight mode and hover flight mode, comprises a wing structure (4) having a left (6), middle (7), and right wing section (8). A support structure extends from the wing structure (4), and has an upper and lower support section. Each one of the left and right wing section (6, 8), and upper and lower support section (18, 20) has a thrust unit (10, 12, 22, 24). Left and right wingtip sections are rotatable relative to a left and right wing base section, respectively, around an axis extending substantially in a lengthwise direction of the wing structure. The thrust units (10,12) of the left and right wing sections(6, 8) are provided at the respective wingtip sections, in particular at the extremities thereof.

公开(公告)号：US20170190443A1

公开(公告)日：2017-07-06

申请号：US15466012

申请日：2017-03-22

Applicant: AeroVironment, Inc.

Inventor： Christopher Eugene Fisher ,  Jason Sidharthadev Mukherjee ,  William Arden Lott

IPC: B64F1/00 ,  B64C29/02 ,  B64F1/12 ,  B64C39/02

CPC classification number: B64F1/005 ,  B64C29/02 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/021 ,  B64C2201/042 ,  B64C2201/066 ,  B64C2201/088 ,  B64C2201/104 ,  B64C2201/12 ,  B64C2201/141 ,  B64C2201/165 ,  B64C2201/18 ,  B64C2201/201 ,  B64F1/12

Abstract: A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system including: a rearward facing tang extending from a rear fuselage portion of a VTOL UAV; one or more metallic contacts disposed on an exterior surface of the tang; a UAV pod including a landing surface; and an opening disposed in the landing surface to receive the tang.

公开(公告)号：US20170158354A1

公开(公告)日：2017-06-08

申请号：US15360116

申请日：2016-11-23

Applicant: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation

Inventor： Frederick L. Bourne ,  Peter James Waltner ,  Simon Gharibian

IPC: B64F1/36 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64D27/24 ,  B64C27/04

CPC classification number: B64C27/04 ,  B64C39/022 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2027/8236 ,  B64C2201/027 ,  B64C2201/042 ,  B64C2201/06 ,  B64C2201/088 ,  B64C2201/12 ,  B64C2201/148 ,  B64D27/24 ,  B64D2027/026 ,  B64F1/36 ,  B64F3/02 ,  Y02T50/64

Abstract: A detachable power transfer device for a rotary-wing aircraft includes a docking station integrated into the rotary-wing aircraft. A power pod of the detachable power transfer device is constructed and arranged to detachably connect to the docking station for transferring power to the rotary-wing aircraft.

公开(公告)号：US20170158327A1

公开(公告)日：2017-06-08

申请号：US15370592

申请日：2016-12-06

Applicant: AAI Corporation

Inventor： Neal H. Willford

IPC: B64C39/02 ,  B64C29/02 ,  B64C25/34 ,  B64D17/80 ,  G05D1/08 ,  G05D1/00

CPC classification number: B64C39/024 ,  B64C25/34 ,  B64C27/50 ,  B64C29/02 ,  B64C2201/021 ,  B64C2201/042 ,  B64C2201/088 ,  B64C2201/104 ,  B64C2201/108 ,  B64C2201/162 ,  B64C2201/165 ,  B64D17/80 ,  G05D1/0055 ,  G05D1/0816 ,  G05D1/0858

Abstract: A technique is directed to operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a fuselage defining a flight direction of the UAV and wing-plate assemblies that propel the UAV in the flight direction defined by the fuselage. The technique involves providing, while the flight direction defined by fuselage of the UAV points vertically from a takeoff location on the ground, thrust from propulsion units of the wing-plate assemblies to fly the UAV along a vertical takeoff path. The technique further involves maneuvering, after the UAV flies along the vertical takeoff path, the UAV to align the flight direction along a horizontal flight path that is perpendicular to the vertical takeoff path. The technique further involves providing, after the UAV flies along the horizontal flight path, thrust from the propulsion units of the wing-plate assemblies to land the UAV along a vertical landing path that is perpendicular to the horizontal flight path.

公开(公告)号：US09632501B1

公开(公告)日：2017-04-25

申请号：US15180027

申请日：2016-06-12

Applicant: ZEROTECH (Shenzhen) Intelligence Robot Co., Ltd

Inventor： Jianjun Yang ,  Lin Yang

IPC: G05D1/00 ,  B64C39/02 ,  G05D1/06 ,  B64F1/00 ,  B64C19/00 ,  G06F3/01

CPC classification number: G05D1/0011 ,  B64C19/00 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/088 ,  B64C2201/108 ,  B64C2201/123 ,  B64C2201/146 ,  B64F1/007 ,  G05D1/0661 ,  G05D1/0669 ,  G06F3/017

Abstract: A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is provided. The UAV comprises at least one rotor. The method includes receiving a take-off preparatory signal; controlling a rotation speed of the at least one rotor with an idle speed rotation in response to the take-off preparatory signal; increasing the rotation speed of the at least one rotor up to a rated speed rotation under predetermined conditions.