JP2024004429A - Takeoff and landing site for vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and method of transporting vertical takeoff and landing aircraft - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a takeoff and landing site for a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, a takeoff and landing interval is reduced, the number of takeoff and landing is increased, and allows a safety takeoff and landing, and to provide a method of transporting the vertical takeoff and landing air craft that can reduce a time by changing an orientation of the vertical takeoff and landing air craft during transportation.

SOLUTION: A takeoff and landing site for a vertical takeoff and landing air craft includes two or more takeoff and landing zone where the vertical takeoff and landing air craft performs takeoff and landing, and transporting means that transports the vertical takeoff and landing air craft from the takeoff and landing zone or to the takeoff and landing zone. Furthermore, the transporting means includes a vertical takeoff and landing air craft orientation changing section.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

COPYRIGHT: (C)2024,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to an airfield for a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft that can shorten the takeoff and landing interval of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, increase the number of takeoffs and landings, and safely take off and land, and a ground transportation method for a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft related to the airfield.

In recent years, demand for vertical take-off and landing aircraft called VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft) has been increasing. Vertical take-off and landing aircraft are aircraft (flying objects) that take off and land vertically without gliding at all.Manned aircraft are approaching practical use as "flying cars" and "flying taxis," and unmanned aircraft are using drones to transport goods. It is beginning to be widely used for shipping purposes.

Note that, in the present invention, a helicopter in normal operation is not included in a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. This is because helicopters normally take off and land at a slight angle (takeoff and landing slope) rather than vertically, and from this point of view, regulations for helipads take the takeoff and landing slope into consideration under the Aviation Act. .

With the spread of vertical take-off and landing aircraft in the future, a large number of take-off and landing fields and parking spaces for vertical take-off and landing aircraft will be required. In addition, the core airfield is expected to increase the number of takeoffs and landings, shorten the interval between takeoffs and landings, and save space.

Furthermore, in order to quickly take off and land a vertical take-off and landing aircraft, a method is also desired that can quickly transport (move) a vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses the technical concept of a helicopter landing pad consisting of a landing pad and a wall placed around it, but it does not relate to a takeoff and landing pad for vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, and the number of takeoffs and landings is There is no mention of an increase in the number of take-offs and a shortening of the take-off and landing interval, and this cannot be considered as prior art to the present invention.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 64-24905

The problem to be solved is to shorten the takeoff and landing interval, increase the number of takeoffs and landings, and provide a takeoff and landing field for vertical takeoff and landing aircraft that allows safe takeoff and landing.

A related issue is that vertical takeoff and landing aircraft must face the direction of the wind during takeoff and landing. For this reason, instead of changing the orientation after being transported to the airfield, by changing the wind direction and parking direction at the airfield during transport, it is possible to shorten the time required for landing, parking, charging, and takeoff. An object of the present invention is to provide a transportation method for a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.

A first aspect of the present invention is an airfield for a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, comprising:
Two or more takeoff and landing strips for vertical takeoff and landing aircraft,
The present invention is characterized by comprising a transport means for transporting the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft from or to the takeoff and landing strip.

Here, the takeoff and landing zone is a place that has a structure and function that allows a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft to take off and land safely. In this way, since there are two or more takeoff and landing strips, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft can take off and land at the same time or at short intervals, which is extremely effective.

In this case, since the transport means is provided, the vertical take-off and landing aircraft can be quickly moved to and from the take-off and landing zone, which is efficient.

The transport means may be any mechanism that can receive and move the vertical take-off and landing aircraft from the take-off and landing strip, or move the vertical take-off and landing aircraft and deliver it to the take-off and landing strip. Vehicles that are pulled or pushed (boosted) by automated guided vehicles (AGV, AMR, etc.), powered vehicles such as forklifts, or human power (even if free wheels or ball-wheeled carts are used) Examples include, but are not limited to.

Regarding transportation means, the most suitable method is autonomous navigation, which calculates the current location and destination, but it is also possible to embed magnetic rods etc. in the ground of the travel route and read them while driving. Also suitable is the so-called Automatic Guided operation used in AGVs. Alternatively, a method may be adopted in which rails are installed on the conveyance road surface and the vehicle travels on the rails.

Next, a second aspect of the present invention is an airfield for the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft of the first aspect, comprising:
The two or more takeoff and landing strips may include at least one takeoff and landing strip and at least one landing strip.

In other words, when there are two takeoff and landing strips, one is a takeoff and landing strip (takeoff strip) and the other is a takeoff and landing strip (landing strip) only for landing, and if there are three or more takeoff and landing strips, one of them is The configuration is such that at least one location is a takeoff and landing zone exclusively for takeoffs (takeoff strip), and at least one location is a takeoff and landing zone exclusively for landings (takeoff zone).

In this way, by separating the takeoff and landing zones, it is possible to provide an efficient, safe and smooth takeoff and landing field.

Note that it is preferable that the takeoff zone and the landing zone can be operated in a manner that can be changed depending on the season, wind direction, and weather, but they may be fixed for a long period of time without changing their operation.

Note that different takeoff and landing strips may be given different colors or marked with distinguishable numbers, symbols, illustrations, or patterns in order to prevent mistakes during takeoff and landing. In this way, accidents and delays due to misidentification of takeoff and landing strips can be prevented, and safe and smooth operations can be achieved.

Further, it is preferable that the different takeoff and landing zones satisfy omnidirectional takeoff and landing. During takeoff and landing, the aircraft faces the direction of the wind for safe operation, and by using different takeoff and landing fields depending on the wind direction, safer and smoother operation can be provided.

Furthermore, the means of transportation is not only used for transportation to and from the takeoff and landing strip, but also for parking, charging facilities (in the case of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft), refueling facilities (in the case of engine-driven vertical takeoff and landing aircraft), and passenger boarding and alighting facilities. It is desirable that the vertical take-off and landing aircraft be able to be transported (moved) between the field, maintenance field, exhibition hall, etc.

Next, a third aspect of the present invention is an airfield for the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft according to the first aspect, comprising:
The transport means may include a vertical take-off and landing aircraft orientation changing section.

Here, the orientation change section is a section that changes the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft to an appropriate orientation (attitude) for the next process during transportation, and when the transportation means is a rotatable means such as an AGV, it is If the vertical take-off and landing aircraft is rotated and the transport means does not have a rotation function, this can be achieved by appropriately setting the transport route. Note that the configuration of the orientation changing unit is not limited to these, and may be any configuration as long as it can change the orientation (attitude) of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.

In this way, the vertical take-off and landing aircraft can be oriented appropriately for the next process (takeoff, parking, boarding, charging, etc.) while being transported, thereby reducing the time required for the next process. .

Alternatively, when exhibiting, it is also possible to provide an exhibition space in the middle of the transport means, rotate the vertical take-off and landing aircraft, and put the whole thing on display.

Next, a fourth aspect of the present invention is an airfield for the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft of the first aspect,
It may be characterized in that the take-off and landing zone also serves as the transport means.

Here, when the takeoff and landing strip also serves as a transportation means, it means that the takeoff and landing strip itself is configured with automatic guided vehicles such as AGVs and AMRs. The top surface, which is integrated with the automatic guided vehicle, functions as a takeoff and landing strip.

In this way, when moving from the takeoff/landing zone to the next process, transportation can be started immediately without performing hover movement or ground taxi movement, saving time and effort.

As described above, according to the takeoff and landing field for a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and the transportation method for a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft of the present invention, it is possible to shorten the takeoff and landing interval, increase the number of takeoffs and landings, and provide a takeoff and landing field that allows safe takeoff and landing. can.

1 is a plan view of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft airfield according to a first embodiment of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft airfield according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft airfield 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, below, the scope necessary for explanation to achieve the purpose of the present invention will be schematically shown, and the scope necessary for explanation of the relevant part of the present invention will be mainly explained, and the parts where explanation is omitted will be omitted. It shall be based on known technology.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft airfield 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The airfield 1 has two airfields 10a and 10b.

It also has a transport means 20 for moving the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft to and from the airfield.

Further, at the end of the transport means 20, there are six parking places 30 (indicated by numbers 1 to 6) in the figure.

It is assumed here that the takeoff and landing strips 10a and 10b are equipped with the functions necessary for takeoff and landing of vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, and that their upper surfaces (takeoff and landing surfaces) are painted in different colors, and are also painted as landmarks. The letter V is displayed.

Further, as the transport means 20, an unmanned vehicle (not shown) that can move along the illustrated route is used, and the transport means 20 includes the unmanned vehicle and the route.

The unmanned vehicle can have a vertical take-off and landing aircraft mounted thereon, and can move along a route between the takeoff and landing strips 10a, 10b, and parking spaces 30.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft airfield 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and particularly shows the operation of changing the direction of the unmanned vehicle that is part of the transport means.

The unmanned vehicle 21, indicated by P in the figure, has a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft mounted in the direction of the letter P, and departs from the takeoff and landing zone 10b.

When the unmanned vehicle 21 travels autonomously or is guided by a guide and arrives at the illustrated position 22a on the route 22, the unmanned vehicle 21 rotates approximately 90 degrees counterclockwise.

After completing the rotation, the unmanned mobile vehicle 21 moves in the opposite direction of the letter P, arrives at space No. 5 of the apron 30 shown in FIG. 1, and completes its movement.

Note that the direction of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft within the transportation means 20 may be changed by any method other than this example.

The take-off and landing field for a vertical take-off and landing aircraft and the transportation method for a vertical take-off and landing aircraft of the present invention can achieve safe and efficient operation during takeoff and landing of vertical take-off and landing aircraft, for which the demand will increase in the future, and therefore has great industrial applicability. has.

1 Vertical takeoff and landing aircraft airfield 10 Takeoff and landing strip 20 Transport means 21 Unmanned vehicle 22 Route 30 Parking space

Claims (4)

- Two or more takeoff and landing strips for vertical takeoff and landing aircraft,
- an airfield for vertical take-off and landing aircraft, comprising transport means for transporting the vertical take-off and landing aircraft from or to the air-off and landing strip; The vertical takeoff and landing aircraft airfield according to claim 1, wherein the two or more takeoff and landing strips include at least one takeoff and landing strip and at least one landing strip. 2. The vertical takeoff and landing aircraft airfield according to claim 1, wherein the conveyance means has a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft orientation changing section. The vertical takeoff and landing field according to claim 1, wherein the takeoff and landing zone also serves as the transport means.