160results about "Canard-type aircraft" patented technology

A fixed-wing VTOL aircraft features an array of electric lift fans distributed over the surface of the aircraft. A generator is (selectively) coupled to the gas turbine engine of the aircraft. During VTOL operation of the aircraft, the engine drives the generator to generate electricity to power the lifting fans. Power to the lifting fans is reduced as the aircraft gains forward speed and is increasingly supported by the wings.

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.

A mobile platform lift increasing system includes at least one wing-shaped structure having a leading edge, a trailing edge and a chord length perpendicularly measurable between the leading and trailing edges. A rotatable control surface is located near a trailing edge undersurface. The control surface length is approximately one to five percent of the chord length. A deployment device is positioned between the wing shaped structure and the control surface. The deployment device operably rotates the control surface through a plurality of positions ranging between an initial position and a fully deployed position. Wing lift is increased at speeds up to approximately transonic speed by continuously rotating the control surface to accommodate variables including mobile platform weight change from fuel usage.

A safe, quiet, easy to control, efficient, and compact aircraft configuration is enabled through the combination of multiple vertical lift rotors, tandem wings, and forward thrust propellers. The vertical lift rotors, in combination with a front and rear wing, permits a balancing of the center of lift with the center of gravity for both vertical and horizontal flight. This wing and multiple rotor system has the ability to tolerate a relatively large variation of the payload weight for hover, transition, or cruise flight while also providing vertical thrust redundancy. The propulsion system uses multiple lift rotors and forward thrust propellers of a small enough size to be shielded from potential blade strike and provide increased perceived and real safety to the passengers. Using multiple independent rotors provides redundancy and the elimination of single point failure modes that can make the vehicle non-operable in flight.

A fixed-wing VTOL aircraft features an array of electric lift fans distributed over the surface of the aircraft. A generator is (selectively) coupled to the gas turbine engine of the aircraft. During VTOL operation of the aircraft, the engine drives the generator to generate electricity to power the lifting fans. Power to the lifting fans is reduced as the aircraft gains forward speed and is increasingly supported by the wings.

A heavy payload, autonomous UAV able to deliver supply by way of airdrop with more precision and at a lower cost. The UAV can be equipped with a movable wing system. The UAV can include a removable storage box. The UAV can be equipped with a drogue parachute for deploying the wings upon jettison of the UAV from a mothership. The UAV can be controlled remotely or it can operate autonomously. The UAV can include canard wings. The canard wings and the movable wings can include ailerons to effectuate flight control of the UAV. The UAV can be reusable or can be an expandable UAV. The UAV's wings can be configured to automatically separate from the UAV during the landing sequence.

A wing for use on a supersonic aircraft that includes an inboard section a central section of the wing outboard of the inboard portion, and an outboard section. The outboard section can be a winglet oriented anhedrally relative to a lateral axis of the supersonic aircraft. Leading edge segments on the inboard section, central section and outboard winglet may have mounted thereon leading-edge flaps. These flaps are adjusted by a control system operable to reposition the leading-edge flaps in order to improve the aerodynamic performance of the supersonic aircraft. This winglet promotes sonic boom minimization. Further, the wing tip anhedral allows greater inboard dihedral. This effectively pushes lift aft for sonic boom and control purposes while minimizing the movement of control surfaces.

An aircraft arrangement for Mini or Micro UAV comprising a fore wing (14) and an aft wing (12) in tandem closed-coupled arrangement. The aft wing (12) has side panels (18) and control surfaces (19), and tapered planform with positive sweep, while the fore wing (14) has non-positive trailing edge sweep. The fore wing (14) and the aft wing (12) are disposed at different height, and the aircraft arrangement has no other wings or tail arrangements.

An aircraft configuration that may reduce the level of noise, infrared radiation, or combination thereof directed towards the ground from an aircraft in flight. An embodiment of an aircraft includes a fuselage, two forward swept wings, at least one engine mounted to the aircraft and higher than the wings, and vertical stabilizers mounted on each wing outboard of the outermost engine. The leading edge of the wing may extend forward of the leading end of the engine, and the trailing edge of the aft deck may extend aft of the trailing end of the engine. The aft deck may include an upwardly rotatable pitch control surface at the trailing edge of the deck. Engine types may vary, including but not limited to turbofans, prop-fans, and turbo-props. Main wings may be mounted above the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, and canards may likewise be mounted above or below the axis.

A pusher canard aircraft convertible for road use. Canard outer sections are removable and are stored within the aircraft fuselage and the outer main wing sections rotate horizontally for storage on the fuselage top. The fuselage is designed as a lifting body which gives the aircraft three lifting surfaces. The lifting body takes advantage of ground effect, resulting in a lower landing speed. In road mode the vehicle as a 2 or 4 passenger model is smaller than a full size automobile. Hydraulic motor wheels propel the aircraft / vehicle for road use. An internal combustion engine within the fuselage drives the propeller for air operation. The propeller is disengaged, not removed, for land operation and the engine is used to drive an hydraulic pump to power the motor wheels for road use. A single nose wheel or two front wheels are used for both steering in landing / taxiing and for road use. In road mode, the appearance is as much like a van than as an aircraft. In flying mode, the appearance is not to unconventional.

An aircraft thickness / camber control device mounts to the lower surface of a airfoil configuration, for example on a fuselage, and extends along a longitudinal axis. The device, when deployed, generates expansions ahead of compressions generated by off-design conditions, inlet spillage for example, and enables maintenance of a low boom signature. The device, when positioned at appropriate locations, may also be used as a drag reduction device. The thickness / camber control device comprises a structural member capable of coupling to the airfoil at a position forward of the concentrated source of added compression and a control element. The control element is coupled to the structural member and controls the structural member to adjust thickness / camber of the configuration to cancel the far-field effect of the extra compression or concentrated pressure source.

Convertible-type aircraft, able to fly with the speed and the reduced operating costs of a fixed-wing aircraft and also to take-off / land vertically and hover / manoeuvre like an helicopter.The aircraft object of the invention comes in the form of a classical plane, with a fuselage (1), a fixed wing (2), an horizontal stabilizer (3) and a vertical fin (4), as well as one or several jet engines or turboprops (5) for propulsion and it comprises exposable rotors (6 and 7) installed inside the wing and possibly inside the horizontal stabilizer or the fuselage for lifting the aircraft for vertical take-off / landing and stationary flight.For the flight and the horizontal take-off / landing, the rotors are completely enclosed inside the wing and possibly inside the horizontal stabilizer or the fuselage.

The invention provides a power-driven tilt three-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle. The power-driven tilt three-rotator unmanned aerial vehicle has flight characteristics of both a helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft and can take off and land in a vertical and short-distance way. The integral structure of the power-driven tilt three-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle is composed of all-moving canard wings, straight low wings and a fixed V tail. Two motors and rotors of the unmanned aerial vehicle are fixed at the wing tips of the canard wings and can independently tilt by certain angles along with the canard wings, and another motor and rotor of the unmanned aerial vehicle are installed in the V tail and can tilt by certain angles around a rotating shaft. When the rotating shafts of the thee rotors of the unmanned aerial vehicle tilt to a position near a Z axis, the unmanned aerial vehicle can fly like the helicopter; and when the thee rotors tilt to a position near an X axis, the unmanned aerial vehicle can fly like the fixed-wing aircraft. Through simultaneous control of the thrust and directions of the thee rotors, the reaction torque of the rotors is overcome and the posture of the unmanned aerial vehicle is controlled. The unmanned aerial vehicle provided by the invention can take off and land in a limited place or runway to execute special tasks and is improved in flight speed, duration of flight and payload.