WO2018187844A1 - Aéronef à double mode de vol - Google Patents

Aéronef à double mode de vol Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2018187844A1
WO2018187844A1 PCT/AU2018/050332 AU2018050332W WO2018187844A1 WO 2018187844 A1 WO2018187844 A1 WO 2018187844A1 AU 2018050332 W AU2018050332 W AU 2018050332W WO 2018187844 A1 WO2018187844 A1 WO 2018187844A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
aircraft
wing
starboard
port
fuselage
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/AU2018/050332
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Ian Conway LAMB
Christopher Conway LAMB
Original Assignee
Iridium Dynamics Pty Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from AU2017901376A external-priority patent/AU2017901376A0/en
Application filed by Iridium Dynamics Pty Ltd filed Critical Iridium Dynamics Pty Ltd
Publication of WO2018187844A1 publication Critical patent/WO2018187844A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64U—UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
    • B64U10/00—Type of UAV
    • B64U10/25—Fixed-wing aircraft
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64C—AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
    • B64C29/00—Aircraft capable of landing or taking-off vertically, e.g. vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft
    • B64C29/02—Aircraft capable of landing or taking-off vertically, e.g. vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64C—AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
    • B64C3/00—Wings
    • B64C3/38—Adjustment of complete wings or parts thereof
    • B64C3/385—Variable incidence wings
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64U—UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
    • B64U30/00—Means for producing lift; Empennages; Arrangements thereof
    • B64U30/10—Wings
    • B64U30/12—Variable or detachable wings, e.g. wings with adjustable sweep
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64U—UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
    • B64U40/00—On-board mechanical arrangements for adjusting control surfaces or rotors; On-board mechanical arrangements for in-flight adjustment of the base configuration
    • B64U40/20—On-board mechanical arrangements for adjusting control surfaces or rotors; On-board mechanical arrangements for in-flight adjustment of the base configuration for in-flight adjustment of the base configuration
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64U—UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
    • B64U50/00—Propulsion; Power supply
    • B64U50/10—Propulsion
    • B64U50/13—Propulsion using external fans or propellers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64U—UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
    • B64U70/00—Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
    • B64U70/80—Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
    • Y02T50/00—Aeronautics or air transport
    • Y02T50/10—Drag reduction

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to aircraft, and in particular although not exclusively to dual flight mode aircraft having both a hover mode and a forward flight mode.
  • UAVs unmanned aerial vehicles
  • the architecture and design of such vehicles varies greatly from large scale UAVs armed with weapons, which have been deployed in combat zones, to medium sized aerial reconnaissance drones used both commercially and recreational ly, and finally to very small-scale UAVs that are often used as toys.
  • Significant research and development effort has also been placed on application-specific UAV designs for uses such as delivering small packages, and long-duration aerial reconnaissance.
  • US patent no 7997526 titled "Moveable Wings on a Flying/Hovering Vehicle” describes an aircraft with wings that transition from a first position that enable the vehicle to spin in a hovering vertical orientation, and a second position that enables the vehicle to fly in a substantially horizontal orientation.
  • the invention is a dual flight mode aircraft, comprising:
  • a fuselage defining a nose and a tail, including a wing attachment region positioned between the nose and the tail, and a tail surface attachment region positioned between the wing attachment region and the tail;
  • a starboard wing connected to the wing attachment region using a starboard spar, the starboard wing also connected to a starboard motor;
  • a port wing connected to the wing attachment region using a port spar, the port wing also connected to a port motor;
  • a rotation mechanism connected to the fuselage for rotating the starboard wing about a longitudinal axis of the starboard spar, and for rotating the port wing about a longitudinal axis of the port spar, wherein the starboard wing rotates counter to a direction of rotation of the port wing;
  • the dual flight modes comprise a hover mode where the starboard and port wings provide lift generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the fuselage, and a forward flight mode where the starboard and port wings provide lift generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage.
  • the aircraft further comprises moveable control surfaces on the starboard and port wings, wherein during the hover mode the control surfaces are operated cyclically at a frequency that corresponds with a rotational velocity of the aircraft.
  • the aircraft further comprises a plurality of tail surfaces in the form of fins, wherein some of the fins include a controllable surface.
  • each fin is an all-moving control surface, rotatable about its longitudinal axis by approximately 90 degrees.
  • the tail surfaces are positioned such that the centre-of-mass of a tail structure including the tail surfaces lies on the longitudinal axis of the fuselage.
  • the plurality of tail surfaces are equally spaced about the fuselage.
  • the mass in the aircraft is distributed according to three principal axes of inertia of the aircraft such that: a smallest of the three principle axes of inertia is along the fuselage axis; a middle moment of the three principle axes of inertia is parallel to the wing axes; and a largest principle axis of inertia is perpendicular to a fuselage axis and wing axes.
  • the aircraft further comprises a mechanical system for redistributing mass in the aircraft to trim the centre-of-gravity and principle axes of inertia.
  • the aircraft further comprises a distributed set of accelerometers, which enable accurate estimation of the centre-of-mass and principal axes of inertia of the aircraft during the rotary flight mode.
  • the starboard spar is positioned inside the starboard wing and fuselage and the port spar is positioned inside the port wing and fuselage.
  • the starboard spar and the port spar define one continuous spar that protrudes from both the port side and starboard side of the fuselage.
  • the starboard and port wings are rotatable using worm gears, bevel gears, spur gears, hypoid gears, harmonic drives, pushrods, direct motor drive, or pneumatic or hydraulic drives.
  • the starboard spar is connected to a starboard root bearing and to a starboard spar-tip bearing
  • the port spar is connected to a port root bearing and to a port spar-tip bearing.
  • the starboard or port wing, or both are rotatable through an angle greater than 90 degrees, to allow a positive angle-of-attack of both wings in forward-flight mode, and either a positive or negative angle-of-attack of both wings in hovering flight mode.
  • cables are routed through the wing-rotation mechanisms in the fuselage, and electrical connectors on a wing-rotation mechanism mate with electrical connectors at the root of a wing when a wing is attached.
  • cables are routed through hollow centres of the starboard and port spars.
  • wireless communication is used to control electrical subsystems in the wings.
  • the aircraft further comprises a landing-support-region attached to the fuselage such that an external launch-and-retrieval system can be used to support the aircraft during vertical take-off and landing in the vertical flight configuration.
  • the starboard and port motors are positioned along the starboard and port wings, respectively, so that a nominal airspeed of the motors in the hover mode is the same as a nominal cruise velocity of the aircraft in a forward flight mode.
  • a distance from a longitudinal axis of the fuselage to a longitudinal axis of the motors is defined by the following equation:
  • R is the distance from the longitudinal axis of the fuselage to the longitudinal axis of the motors
  • V is the nominal cruise velocity of the aircraft
  • ⁇ is the rotational velocity of the aircraft, about the fuselage axis, in the hover mode
  • C is a constant where 0.5 ⁇ C ⁇ 2.
  • the aircraft further comprises a gimballed payload mounting region on the fuselage.
  • the rotation mechanism further enables rotating the starboard wing about the longitudinal axis of the starboard spar and rotating the port wing about the longitudinal axis of the port spar in a same direction of rotation.
  • the invention is a single-blade, or two- blade propeller, comprising counterweights to ensure that the centre of mass lies on the axis of rotation of the propeller, and that the moment of inertia of the propeller is equal about every axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation.
  • the aircraft further comprises propellers used for thrust comprising three or more blades, or propellers as described in the paragraph above.
  • the aircraft further comprises an attitude heading and reference system capable of tracking the aircraft attitude with continuous rotational velocities exceeding 1 Hz (60 rpm).
  • cables are routed through the wing-rotation mechanisms in the fuselage, such electrical connectors on a wing-rotation mechanism mate with electrical connectors at the root of a wing when a wing is attached.
  • the propellers are powered by brushed motors or by brushless motors with hall-sensor feedback to electronic speed controllers.
  • parts which must be assembled before flight and disassembled after flight including a nosecone, wings and fins, can be assembled and disassembled by hand and without any tools such as screwdrivers, hex-wrenches or spanners.
  • FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a dual mode aircraft in a forward flight mode, according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the aircraft of FIG. 1 in a hover mode, according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the aircraft of FIG. 1 and 2 with the wings removed;
  • FIG. 4 is a top view of the port wing of the aircraft of FIG. 1 , and shows in phantom outline the relative positions of a port spar-tip bearing and a port root bearing;
  • FIG. 5 is a partial cutaway perspective view of a rotation mechanism used to rotate the wings of the aircraft of FIG. 1 ;
  • FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of a series of images of the aircraft of FIG. 1 illustrating the sequential positions and configurations of the aircraft as it transitions from a forward flight mode to a hover mode.
  • FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of a series of images of the aircraft of FIG. 1 illustrating the sequential positions and configurations of the aircraft as it transitions from a hover mode to a forward flight mode.
  • FIG. 8 is a perspective view of two propellers which are suitable for mounting on the motors.
  • FIG. 9 is a close up and partial side perspective view of the aircraft of FIG. 1 with the wings removed, including an alternative embodiment of the cable routing.
  • FIG.10 is a perspective view of components in one embodiment of a mass-redistribution system of the aircraft of FIG. 1.
  • FIG.1 1 is a side perspective view of one embodiment of a gimballed payload mounting region for mounting sensor payloads on the fuselage of the aircraft of FIG. 1 .
  • the present invention relates to dual flight mode aircraft. Elements of the invention are illustrated in concise outline form in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are necessary to understanding the embodiments of the present invention, but so as not to clutter the disclosure with excessive detail that will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the present description.
  • adjectives such as first and second, left and right, port and starboard, top and bottom, upper and lower, rear, front and side, etc., are used solely to define one element or method step from another element or method step without necessarily requiring a specific relative position or sequence that is described by the adjectives.
  • Words such as “comprises” or “includes” are not used to define an exclusive set of elements or method steps. Rather, such words merely define a minimum set of elements or method steps included in a particular embodiment of the present invention.
  • the present invention is defined as a dual flight mode aircraft, comprising: a fuselage defining a nose and a tail, including a wing attachment region positioned between the nose and the tail, and a tail surface attachment region positioned between the wing attachment region and the tail; a starboard wing connected to the wing attachment region using a starboard spar, the starboard wing also connected to a starboard motor; a port wing connected to the wing attachment region using a port spar, the port wing also connected to a port motor; a rotation mechanism connected to the fuselage for rotating the starboard wing about a longitudinal axis of the starboard spar, and for rotating the port wing about a longitudinal axis of the port spar, wherein the starboard wing generally rotates counter to a direction of rotation of the port wing; and a tail surface connected to the tail surface attachment region.
  • FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a dual mode aircraft 100 in a forward flight mode, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the aircraft 100 includes a fuselage 105 having a nose 1 10 and a tail 1 15.
  • a starboard wing 120 is connected to a wing attachment region 125 of the fuselage 105.
  • a port wing 130 is also connected to the wing attachment region 125 of the fuselage 105.
  • a starboard motor 135 and a port motor 140 are attached to the starboard wing 120 and port wing 130, respectively.
  • the motors 135, 140 can comprise battery-powered electric motors, internal combustion engines, or other types of motors, and are illustrated as powering propellers, although other well-known techniques for propulsion, including jet propulsion, can be used.
  • a rotation mechanism inside the fuselage 105 enables the starboard wing 120 and port wing 130 to rotate generally counter to each other along each wing axis of rotation 148, 149, which may be exactly colinear with axis 145, or may deviate from axis 145 by a small angle.
  • a trailing edge of the starboard wing 120 can rotate upwardly while simultaneously a trailing edge of the port wing 130 rotates downwardly.
  • a forward flight mode such counter rotation of the wings 120, 130 will induce the aircraft 100 to roll about a longitudinal axis 146 of the fuselage 105.
  • the tail 1 15 includes a tail surface attachment region 150, and three equally spaced tail fins 155 are connected to the fuselage 105 at the tail surface attachment region 150.
  • the tail fins 155 are each able to rotate about their own tail-fin longitudinal axis 160. Small rotations of the tail fins 155 can be used to provide pitch and yaw control of the aircraft in forward flight, as with standard all-moving rudders (yaw control) and elevators (pitch control).
  • FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the aircraft 100 in a hover mode, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • thrust from the motors 135, 140 induce a clockwise rotation about the longitudinal axis 146 of the fuselage 105 when viewed from above.
  • a vertical component of the thrust from the motors 135, 140 (which as shown are angled slightly upwards), the positive angle-of-attack of the wings 120, 130, the aerodynamic cross-sections of the wings (aerofoils) 120, 130, and the positive angle-of- attack of the tail fins 1 55 all generate vertical lift that enable the aircraft to hover and perform vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) manoeuvres.
  • VTOL vertical take-off and landing
  • the fuselage 105 can be of a rigid construction such that the entire aircraft 100, including the entire assembly of fuselage 105, nose 1 10, tail 1 15, and wings 120 and 130, rotates together about the longitudinal axis 146 of the fuselage 105.
  • the fuselage 105 can comprise a plurality of sections, and during the hover mode one or more sections of the fuselage 105 can rotate at an angular velocity equal to an angular velocity of the wings 120, 130 and one or more sections of the fuselage 105 do not rotate at an angular velocity equal to an angular velocity of the wings 120, 130.
  • Control surfaces such as ailerons 205 and flaps 210 can be manipulated at the trailing edges of the wings 120, 130 to enable further control of the aircraft 100.
  • moveable control surfaces such as the ailerons 205 and flaps 210 can be operated cyclically at a frequency that corresponds with a rotational velocity of the aircraft. That can enable the aircraft 100 to be effectively steered and can provide pitch and roll corrections.
  • a downward deflection of the aileron 205 and/or an upward deflection of aileron 206 would create a moment (torque) about the axis 147. Due to the rotational velocity about the longitudinal axis 146, this instantaneous moment induces a component of angular velocity about axis 147. If the control on ailerons 205, 206 is cyclic, then after half a revolution, the ailerons 205 will have swapped deflection positions, and the induced angular velocity about the axis 147 will be in the opposite direction relative to the rotating frame of the aircraft, and in the same direction relative to a fixed frame-of-reference.
  • each aileron is deflected downwards when the wing to which it is mounted points north, and is deflected upwards when the wing to which it is mounted points south, then the aircraft's rotational axis which is aligned with the longitudinal axis 146 of the fuselage 105 will roll such that the nose 1 1 0 moves to the west of the tail 1 15, assuming a clockwise rotation of the aircraft when looking from above.
  • each tail fin 155 is rotatable by approximately 90 degrees. Equal spacing of identical fins ensures the centre-of-mass of the tail assembly lies on the longitudinal axis 146 of the fuselage 105. In alternative embodiments the fins may be spaced at different intervals, or may use a different design to ensure their centre-of-mass lies on the longitudinal axis 146 of the fuselage 105.
  • a landing post 165 extends rearward from the tail 1 15 and enables recovery of the aircraft 100 during a hover mode, such as when the aircraft is hovering with the nose 1 10 facing upward and the tail 1 15 facing downward.
  • the landing post 165 either can be inserted into a spinning recovery cylinder fixed to the ground, or can be grasped by a launch-and-retrieval mechanism, and the motors 135, 140 then can be shut down.
  • the launch-and-retrieval mechanism may apply a torque in addition to or instead of the propellers during take-off and landing, to increase and decrease the rotational velocity of the aircraft, respectively.
  • the mechanical arm may include bearings to allow rotation of the aircraft while it is supported, and may contain a clamping mechanism to support the aircraft more rigidly.
  • different landing-support-regions may be incorporated, allowing the launch-and-retrieval system to support the aircraft on a region of the fuselage, or from a gimbal which remains stationary relative to the ground and which may also be used for mounting sensors on the aircraft.
  • the landing-support-regions may contain bearings to allow free rotation when the launch-and-retrieval system grasps the aircraft while the aircraft is spinning.
  • FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the aircraft 100 with the wings 120, 130 removed.
  • a starboard spar 305 and a port spar 310 extend outward from the wing attachment region 125 of the fuselage 105.
  • the wings 120, 130 attach to the spars 305, 310, respectively.
  • the spars 305, 310 are contained inside of the wings 120, 130 and the above described rotation of the wings 120, 130, is around the spars 310, 305, respectively.
  • the spars 305, 310 provide increased strength.
  • Starboard and port root bearings 315 are positioned on either side of the wing attachment region, and a starboard spar-tip bearing 320 and a port spar-tip bearing 325 are positioned at the tips of the spars 305, 310, respectively. These bearings transfer the wing load forces and moments onto the spars 305, 31 0, and allow the wings 120, 130 to rotate relative to the fuselage 105.
  • the spars 305, 310 are hollow to enable cables 330, such as electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic or metal cables for use in controlling the aircraft, to be routed through the spars 305, 31 0.
  • FIG. 4 is a top view of the port wing 130, and shows in phantom outline the relative positions of the port spar-tip bearing 325 and the port root bearing 315.
  • the starboard and port motors 135, 140 are positioned along the starboard and port wings 120, 130, respectively, so that a nominal airspeed of the motors 135, 140 in the hover mode can be the same as a nominal cruise velocity of the aircraft 1 00 in the forward flight mode.
  • a nominal airspeed of the motors 135, 140 in the hover mode can be the same as a nominal cruise velocity of the aircraft 1 00 in the forward flight mode.
  • the distance from the longitudinal axis 146 of the fuselage 105 to the longitudinal axis of the motors (which distance is the same for both motors 135, 140) can be defined by the following equation:
  • R is the distance from the longitudinal axis of the fuselage to the longitudinal axis of the motors
  • V is the nominal cruise velocity of the aircraft
  • ⁇ is the rotational velocity of the aircraft, about the fuselage axis, in the hover mode
  • C is a constant where 0.5 ⁇ C ⁇ 2.
  • FIG. 5 is a partial cutaway perspective view of a rotation mechanism 500 used to rotate the wings 120, 130.
  • the rotation mechanism 500 is positioned inside the wing attachment region 125 of the fuselage 105, and enables rotation of the spars 305, 310.
  • a plurality of rotation mechanisms 500, such as one for each wing 120, 130, can be employed.
  • the spars 305, 31 0 are integrated into one continuous spar that extends transversely through the fuselage 105 and into both wings 120, 130.
  • one continuous spar has reduced mechanical complexity, increased strength, and reduced weight.
  • various types of rotation mechanisms can be employed to rotate the spars 305, 310, including the use of worm gears, bevel gears, spur gears, hypoid gears, harmonic drive, pushrods, direct motor drive, or pneumatic or hydraulic drives.
  • the wings may be rotated independently of one another, using one actuator per wing, allowing variable but equal angles of attack on both wings during forward-flight, and variable but equal angles of attack in hover.
  • the wings may be rotated by a mechanism which links the angle of one wing to the angle of the other, allowing the rotation to be performed using a single actuator.
  • the rotation mechanism 500 can further enable rotating the starboard wing 120 about the longitudinal axis of the starboard spar 305, and rotating the port wing 130 about the longitudinal axis of the port spar 310 in a same direction of rotation. That can enable the aircraft 100 to be tuned to different angles of attack, in the forward- flight configuration, depending on various flight parameters such as speed and payload mass.
  • FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of a series of images of the aircraft 100 illustrating the sequential positions and configurations of the aircraft 100 as it transitions from a forward flight mode to a hover mode.
  • FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of a series of images of the aircraft 100 illustrating the sequential positions and configurations of the aircraft 100 as it transitions from a hover mode to a forward flight mode. In both FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 the rotation of the wings 120, 130 and the rotation of the tail fins 155 about the fuselage 105 are illustrated.
  • a modified version of the forward-flight to hover transition may be performed to minimise the time or distance required to reduce the forward velocity to zero.
  • linear momentum is converted to angular momentum.
  • This angular momentum increases as the angle of attack of the wings increases (moves toward rotary-flight position), and increased drag begins to slow the aircraft.
  • continued rotation of the wings beyond 90 degrees generates a braking force which can decelerate the aircraft.
  • the trajectory may be such so that the aircraft 100 can descend during the braking manoeuvre, and end in a nose-down hover; or it can perform an additional re-orientation while spinning, and manoeuvre to a nose-up hover.
  • the braking manoeuvre reduces energy use, but also reduces time spent in the air close to the destination, which can be beneficial for avoiding detection, such as by radar.
  • the wings may be rotated to perform an autorotation manoeuvre similar to that of a standard helicopter, such that the aircraft 100 can descend in its hovering configuration with a negative angle of attack, either nose up or nose down. Approaching the ground, the aircraft 100 can flare the wings 120, 130 to a positive angle of attack to reduce velocity and land gently.
  • FIG. 8 is a perspective view of two propellers which are suitable for mounting on the motors 135, 140.
  • a two-blade propeller 800 spins about axis 810, and has counterweights 805 which ensure the moments of inertia about axes 815, 820 are equal.
  • a three-blade propeller 825 spins about axis 830, and has equally spaced blades which ensure the moments of inertia about axes 835, 840 are equal.
  • propellers Since the rotation of the aircraft during hovering flight is nonparallel with the rotation of the propellers, propellers will experience a cyclic torque around all three axes of rotation if they have unequal moments of inertia about two perpendicular axes which are both perpendicular to the rotational axis.
  • Examples of propellers with such moments of inertia include standard two-bladed propellers, and single-blade propellers.
  • a sensor-less speed controller may not be able to drive a propeller which is subject to a highly variable sinusoidal torque about its rotational axis and, as such, it is desirable to use the two-blade propeller 800 or a three-blade propeller 825, which will be subject to approximately constant torques around all three axes.
  • various propulsion technologies can be used with the present invention, including for example various types of thrusters, 'pusher' or 'tractor' propellers, impellors, ducted fans, gas-turbines, turbo-props, turbo-fans, or exit-nozzles of one or a plurality of compressors mounted either in the wings or in the fuselage.
  • FIG. 9 is a close-up, partial perspective view of the aircraft 100, with the wings 120, 130 removed.
  • the cables for the electrical cables for the wings are routed through the wing-rotation mechanisms in the fuselage.
  • Electrical connectors 910 on a wing-rotation mechanism 920 mate with electrical connectors at the root of a wing when a wing is attached, simplifying the assembly process.
  • the wing rotation mechanism 920 features an internal groove which a mechanism at the root of the wing can grip, allowing rapid assembly of the wing without tools.
  • FIG. 10 is a side perspective view of a mass re-distribution system within the aircraft 100 in a hover mode, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Two ring-shaped mechanisms 101 0, 1020 are aligned concentrically with the longitudinal axis 146 of the fuselage 105 of the aircraft 100.
  • Each mechanism 101 0, 1020 can redistribute its centre of mass approximately in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 146 of the fuselage 105.
  • the mechanism 1010 When the mechanism 1010 is positioned closer to the nose, it can shift its centre of mass in the plane coincident with axes 101 1 and 1012.
  • the mechanism 1020 When the mechanism 1020 is positioned closer to the tail it can shift its centre of mass in the plane coincident with axes 1021 and 2022.
  • two masses 1005 can be rotated about each of the mechanisms 1010, 1020 such that when the masses 1005 are on opposite sides of the ring, 180 degrees apart, their centre of mass is aligned with the longitudinal axis 146 of the fuselage 105. When the masses 1005 are less than 180 degrees apart, their centre of mass lies off the longitudinal axis 146 of the fuselage 105.
  • the mechanisms 1010, 1020 include internal gear teeth, as shown in FIG. 10, small electric motors with spur gears can be used to drive the independent rotation of each of the masses 1005. In this embodiment, a large hole is left in the centre of each mechanism 1010, 1020, which is convenient for routing cables and placing other components in the fuselage 105.
  • other methods may be used to shift the centre of mass in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 146 of the fuselage 105, including an x-y mechanism in which one linear actuator drives a mass along one axis 101 1 (1021 ) and a second linear actuator drives the first actuator and mass along a second axis 1012 (1022).
  • the overall centre-of-mass of the aircraft 100 can be changed, thus trimming the position of the axis of rotation of the aircraft 100, when in hover mode.
  • the centre-of-mass of each mechanism 1010, 1020 in opposite directions relative to the longitudinal axis 146 of the fuselage 105, the principal axes of inertia can be trimmed. Shifts in the centre of mass of each mechanism 1010, 1020 different in magnitude and direction, allow arbitrary changes of both the centre of mass and principal axes of inertia of the aircraft 100, as shown in FIG. 10.
  • the principal axes of inertia are aligned with the body-fixed coordinate frame, to ensure the axis of rotation is perfectly aligned with the longitudinal axis 146 of the fuselage 105.
  • causes of principal-axis misalignment of the axes may include: lack of precision in manufacturing or assembly; misalignment of components or payload; or movement of loose parts such as cables.
  • the aircraft contains a mass-redistribution system which can adjust the centre-of-mass of the aircraft in two dimensions perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 146 of the fuselage 105, and can also adjust the principal axes of inertia to ensure they align with the body-fixed axes 145, 146 and 147 of the aircraft 100.
  • the aircraft 100 may comprise a set of accelerometers, spatially distributed within the aircraft 100.
  • accelerometers spatially distributed within the aircraft 100.
  • Onboard sensors including gyroscopes can be used to detect and characterise nutation to determine the orientation of the principal axes of inertia.
  • FIG. 1 1 is a side perspective view of a gimballed payload mounting region 1 1 10 on the fuselage 105.
  • this payload mounting region 1 1 10 may rotate at an angular velocity relative to the fuselage 105 about the longitudinal fuselage axis 146, such that the payload mounting point can be stabilised stationary relative to the ground.
  • This payload mounting region 1 1 10 can act as a single-axis gimbal to keep the payload stationary while the aircraft 100 is spinning, and also to allow the payload to point in any heading.
  • This embodiment provides full continuous rotation, with the advantage of continuous monitoring since the payload is always pointing in the desired stabilised direction.
  • Such an embodiment may require power and signal transfer through a continuously rotating mechanism, and to this end may incorporate a combination of conductive bearings, slip- rings and wireless power and signal transmission.
  • Possible payloads include for example cameras, thermal cameras, line-scanners, laser rangefinders, microphones, and antennas, but may include any other type of payload which requires stabilised orientation.
  • the payload mounting region may incorporate one or two additional axes of controlled and stabilised gimbal motion, such that a payload can remain stationary during hover, but have any orientation. That enables for example independent control of heading, pitch and roll of the payload.
  • rotation of the payload mounting region 1 1 10 about axis 146 controls the yaw of the payload 1 140
  • rotation of a second assembly 1 120 about axis 1 125 controls the roll of the payload 1 140
  • rotation of a second assembly 1 120 about axis 1 125 controls the yaw of the payload 1 140
  • rotation of a third assembly 1 1 30 about axis 1 1 35 controls the pitch of the payload 1 140.
  • the payload mounting region may rotate with temporary or cyclic motion, such that the payload's orientation is stabilised and stationary relative to the ground for a finite period of time on each rotation.
  • This embodiment simplifies the requirements for power and signal transmission, since the payload is not continuously rotating. It may be suitable in applications where continuous stabilisation and monitoring is not necessary, such as still image capture at repetition rates up to the rate of rotation of the aircraft.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Remote Sensing (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un aéronef à double mode de vol permettant des modes efficaces de vol vers l'avant et de vol stationnaire. L'aéronef comprend : un fuselage définissant un nez et une queue, comprenant une région de fixation d'aile positionnée entre le nez et la queue et une région de fixation de surface de queue positionnée entre la région de fixation d'aile et la queue ; une aile tribord reliée à la région de fixation d'aile à l'aide d'un longeron tribord, l'aile tribord étant également reliée à un moteur tribord ; une aile bâbord reliée à la région de fixation d'aile à l'aide d'un longeron bâbord, l'aile bâbord étant également reliée à un moteur bâbord ; un mécanisme de rotation relié au fuselage pour faire tourner l'aile tribord autour d'un axe longitudinal du longeron tribord et pour faire tourner l'aile bâbord autour d'un axe longitudinal du longeron bâbord, l'aile tribord tournant généralement à l'encontre d'une direction de rotation de l'aile bâbord ; et une surface de queue reliée à la région de fixation de surface de queue.
PCT/AU2018/050332 2017-04-13 2018-04-12 Aéronef à double mode de vol WO2018187844A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2017901376 2017-04-13
AU2017901376A AU2017901376A0 (en) 2017-04-13 Dual flight mode aircraft

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2018187844A1 true WO2018187844A1 (fr) 2018-10-18

Family

ID=63792087

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/AU2018/050332 WO2018187844A1 (fr) 2017-04-13 2018-04-12 Aéronef à double mode de vol

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2018187844A1 (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR3103174A1 (fr) * 2019-11-19 2021-05-21 Sylvain ROLDAN DE PERERA Drone
WO2022049379A1 (fr) * 2020-09-06 2022-03-10 Falco Drone Technologies Ltd Drone
WO2024102125A1 (fr) * 2022-11-09 2024-05-16 Geoff Graves And Associates, Llc Aile réglable pouvant être fixée de manière universelle

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6604706B1 (en) * 1998-08-27 2003-08-12 Nicolae Bostan Gyrostabilized self propelled aircraft
US7997526B2 (en) * 2007-03-12 2011-08-16 Peter Greenley Moveable wings on a flying/hovering vehicle
US8016254B2 (en) * 2008-04-02 2011-09-13 Battelle Energy Alliance, Llc Piezoelectric actuated gimbal
US20120248259A1 (en) * 2011-03-24 2012-10-04 Mark Allan Page Long endurance vertical takeoff and landing aircraft
US20140008498A1 (en) * 2010-09-17 2014-01-09 Johannes Reiter Tilt Wing Rotor VTOL
US20140193253A1 (en) * 2013-01-07 2014-07-10 Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation Propeller Blade With Relatively Movable Counterweight
US20150136897A1 (en) * 2012-06-01 2015-05-21 Logo-Team Ug (Haftungsbeschrankt) Aircraft, preferably unmanned

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6604706B1 (en) * 1998-08-27 2003-08-12 Nicolae Bostan Gyrostabilized self propelled aircraft
US7997526B2 (en) * 2007-03-12 2011-08-16 Peter Greenley Moveable wings on a flying/hovering vehicle
US8016254B2 (en) * 2008-04-02 2011-09-13 Battelle Energy Alliance, Llc Piezoelectric actuated gimbal
US20140008498A1 (en) * 2010-09-17 2014-01-09 Johannes Reiter Tilt Wing Rotor VTOL
US20120248259A1 (en) * 2011-03-24 2012-10-04 Mark Allan Page Long endurance vertical takeoff and landing aircraft
US20150136897A1 (en) * 2012-06-01 2015-05-21 Logo-Team Ug (Haftungsbeschrankt) Aircraft, preferably unmanned
US20140193253A1 (en) * 2013-01-07 2014-07-10 Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation Propeller Blade With Relatively Movable Counterweight

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR3103174A1 (fr) * 2019-11-19 2021-05-21 Sylvain ROLDAN DE PERERA Drone
WO2021099334A1 (fr) * 2019-11-19 2021-05-27 Roldan De Perera Sylvain Drone
WO2022049379A1 (fr) * 2020-09-06 2022-03-10 Falco Drone Technologies Ltd Drone
WO2024102125A1 (fr) * 2022-11-09 2024-05-16 Geoff Graves And Associates, Llc Aile réglable pouvant être fixée de manière universelle

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
AU2019203204B2 (en) Vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) air vehicle
EP3121117B1 (fr) Système de commande et stratégie pour personne assise à l'arrière
EP3140188B1 (fr) Véhicule aérien sans pilote (uav) de type à décollage et atterrissage verticaux (adav)
EP3290337B1 (fr) Aéronef ayant des capacités de conversion rotor/aile double
US20160236775A1 (en) Vertical takeoff and landing aircraft
US20200010182A1 (en) Pivoting wing system for vtol aircraft
EP3725680B1 (fr) Systèmes de vol multimodaux sans pilote à ailes basculantes
CN109606674A (zh) 尾坐式垂直起降无人机及其控制系统与控制方法
EP3368413B1 (fr) Véhicule aérien, procédé et apparatus de commande de celui-ci
WO2018187844A1 (fr) Aéronef à double mode de vol
CN111479751A (zh) 具有可调翼的混合多旋翼无人航空器
Ang et al. Design and implementation of a thrust-vectored unmanned tail-sitter with reconfigurable wings
EP3736211B1 (fr) Système et procédé permettant d'améliorer la commande d'altitude d'un autogyre
Cetinsoy Design and simulation of a holonomic quadrotor UAV with sub-rotor control surfaces
Romeu Flight control through vectored propulsion
Steele et al. Review of standard rotor configurations for a micro unmanned aerial system
GB2545077B (en) Air Vehicle convertible between rotational and fixed-wing modes
WO2020183594A1 (fr) Aéronef à décollage vertical
Kumar et al. Design and development of unmanned tilt T-tri rotor aerial vehicle

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 18783633

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 18783633

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1