Abstract:
A system and method of controlling quadrotor air vehicles (QRAV) that may include an additional two degrees of freedom for each of the four propellers of the QRAV. Each of the four rotors may be allowed to rotate (tilt) around two local axes selected from the x-axis (roll), y-axis (pitch), and z-axis (yaw). Control of the quadrotor including the additional two degrees of freedom allows thrust of each rotor to be direct in any direction of a semi-sphere. As a result, total control inputs of the QRAV may be increased to twelve, enabling smooth control to achieve superior and precise maneuverability. Additionally, the system and method is fault tolerant and capable of handling failures of any of the rotors. Commands to the propellers may be fully decoupled and achieved independently thereby giving pilots better control to execute difficult maneuvers.
Abstract:
An aircraft is provided and includes a single sensor and wings extending outwardly in opposite directions from a fuselage. Each wing includes a main section, an engine section supported on the main section and tail surfaces extending transversely relative to the main section. The single sensor is mountable to one of the tail surfaces with a field of view (FOV) representable as a spherical wedge having a dihedral angle exceeding 180°.
Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to a high performance Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) aircraft for executing hovering flight, forward flight, and transitioning between the two in a stable and efficient manner. The VTOL aircraft provides a highly stable, controllable and efficient VTOL aircraft. The preferred comprises: (1) a pusher propeller configuration with strategic placement which maximizes the effective use of thrust, (2) four propellers which allow for the highly-controllable and mechanically simple control methods used in multirotor aircraft, (3) electric motors which create mechanically simple, lightweight and reliable operation, (4) and a tandem wing configuration which is stable, controllable and efficient in both hovering and forward flight. The VTOL aircraft is capable of full runway, short runway or vertical takeoffs or landings, having unobstructed forward view for camera and sensor placement; and providing a compact, mechanically simple and low-maintenance VTOL aircraft design.
Abstract:
A vertical take-off and landing aircraft includes a fixed wing airframe having opposed left and right wings extending from left and right sides, respectively, of a fuselage having opposed leading and trailing extremities and an empennage located behind the trailing extremity. Four fixed, open and horizontal, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) thrust rotors are mounted to the airframe in a quadrotor pattern for providing vertical lift to the aircraft, and a vertical, forward thrust rotor is mounted to the trailing extremity of the fuselage between the trailing extremity of the fuselage and the empennage for providing forward thrust to the aircraft. The four VTOL thrust rotors are coplanar being and operating in a common plane that is parallel relative to, and being level with, top surfaces of the left and right wings in and around a region of each of the four VTOL thrust rotors.
Abstract:
An aircraft having a vertical take-off and landing (“VTOL”) propulsion system aircraft, smaller than a standard manned aircraft and remotely or autonomously piloted. The aircraft comprises a symmetrical airfoil shape for the center body section that consists of ribs and spars maintaining an open area in the center. Situated within the open area of the center of the aircraft resides a duct system consisting of a ducted fan and five outlet vents. The main outlet vent functions as the exhaust exiting the aft portion of the aircraft, with the remaining four ducts used for the VTOL capabilities exiting the underside of the aircraft. The aircraft can have a range of wingspan, which can be scaled to satisfy needs and requirements, with a blended wing body that incorporates the inlet and duct system.
Abstract:
An aircraft capable of thrust-borne flight can be automatically retrieved, serviced, and launched. In one embodiment, for retrieval, the aircraft drops a tether and pulls the tether at low relative speed into contact with a horizontal guide. The tether is pulled across the guide until the guide is captured b an end effector. The tether length is adjusted as necessary, and the aircraft swings on the guide to hang in an inverted position. Translation of the tether along the guide then brings the aircraft to a docking carriage, in which the aircraft parks for servicing. For launch, the carriage is swung upright, the end effector is released from the guide, and the aircraft thrusts into free flight. A full ground-handling cycle can thus be accomplished automatically with a simple, economical apparatus. It can be used with low risk of damage and requires moderate accuracy in manual or automatic flight control.
Abstract:
A microscale radio-controlled aerial micro-drone vehicle, having a fixed wing (as opposed to a rotary wing) having a propulsion device the vehicle including wheels for traveling on the ground, which are attached to the side ends of a section of the wing. The rotational axis Y1 of the wheels being located in front of the center of gravity of the micro-drone, the center of gravity of the micro-drone being located in front of the aerodynamic center of the micro-drone. The rotational axis Y1 of the wheels being aligned with the thrust axis of the propulsion device and the wheels are sized such that the radius D/2 thereof is greater than the distance between the rotational axis Y1 of the wheels and the trailing edge of the wing.
Abstract:
An aircraft capable of thrust-borne flight can be automatically retrieved, serviced, and launched. In one embodiment, for retrieval, the aircraft drops a tether and pulls the tether at low relative speed into contact with a horizontal guide. The tether is pulled across the guide until the guide is captured b an end effector. The tether length is adjusted as necessary, and the aircraft swings on the guide to hang in an inverted position. Translation of the tether along the guide then brings the aircraft to a docking carriage, in which the aircraft parks for servicing. For launch, the carriage is swung upright, the end effector is released from the guide, and the aircraft thrusts into free flight. A full ground-handling cycle can thus be accomplished automatically with a simple, economical apparatus. It can be used with low risk of damage and requires moderate accuracy in manual or automatic flight control.
Abstract:
An aircraft may have a fuselage, a left wing extending from the fuselage, a right wing extending from the fuselage, a tail section extending from a rear portion of the fuselage, and a first engine and a second engine operably connected by a common driveshaft, wherein the first and second engines are configured for freewheeling such that if one of the first and second engines loses power the other of the first and second engines continues to power the aircraft.
Abstract:
The respective motors of the drone (10) can be controlled to rotate at different speeds in order to pilot the drone both in attitude and speed. A remote control appliance produces a command to turn along a curvilinear path, this command comprising a left or right turning direction parameter and a parameter that defines the radius of curvature of the turn. The drone receives said command and acquires instantaneous measurements of linear velocity components, of angles of inclination, and of angular speeds of the drone. On the basis of the received command and the acquired measurements, setpoint values are generated for a control loop for controlling motors of the drone, these setpoint values controlling horizontal linear speed and inclination of the drone relative to a frame of reference associated with the ground so as to cause the drone to follow curvilinear path (C) at predetermined tangential speed (u).